In the current economic landscape, it would not be shocking to hear a company was considering eliminating background checks from their hiring program due to the cost of screening potential applicants. Businesses are under immense pressure to reduce expenditures wherever they can in order to remain afloat. Companies may decide that the cost of screening is too high and may look to alternative methods for vetting their candidates. We’ll explore a few of those options here, weigh the pros and cons, and then decide if any of these alternatives are viable options to replace a thorough background check. For the purpose of this article, the term “thorough background check” includes a county criminal records check and verification of any information provided by the applicant that pertains to the job responsibilities of the position they are applying for.

Employee Referrals

There was a recent blog posting about this very topic on employeescreen University. The Head of HR for one of India’s top BPO companies stated that employee referrals are a great alternative for conducting background checks on potential employees. According to this individual, this method saves time, money, and promotes camaraderie among employees. While these factors are true to varying degrees, referrals are no substitute for verifying information through a proper background check. Relying on employee referrals instead of conducting background checks may get new employees in the door faster, have a lower initial cost (unless employees are provided compensation for the referral), and contribute to a friendly work environment because employees are, most likely, referring their friends. But should companies depend on employee referrals to replace a thorough screening procedure? Absolutely not! Here’s why:

Unless the employee and their friend have been inseparable for the entirety of their adult lives, they cannot be sure that their friend hasn’t gotten themselves into some trouble in the past. There may be criminal records the employee doesn’t know about that should disqualify the friend from employment with the company. The friend may have gotten fired from their last two jobs because of a bad attitude or lack of experience. They may not have the degree or licensure required to perform the type of work the job entails. In other words, the employee can’t know their friend’s entire life history. On the contrary, maybe they do and are just trying to help their friend out. As much as the employee has the company’s best interests at heart (or it is believed that they do), taking their word for it would be a mistake. Businesses may end up hiring a person that doesn’t belong in their organization.

Instant Nationwide Database Searches

If you were to type the phrase “instant background check” into Google, you would end up with thousands upon thousands of sites that offer instant nationwide database searches at a fraction of the cost of a background check provided by a pre-employment screening firm. These sites claim to cover the entire country. Sounds like a great deal right? Wrong!

If you are a faithful Verifier or employeescreenIQ blog reader, this is a familiar subject. For the uninitiated, any best practice criminal check starts with a criminal search in each county courthouse in which the applicant has lived, worked, or attended school over the last 7 to 10 years. Most criminal cases are handled at the county level and the county courts contain the most accurate and up-to-date criminal record information. Not all counties report their information to any one particular database, if any. If they do report information, they may do so infrequently. So, if an applicant was convicted of theft three months ago but the county court he went to only sends information to a certain database once a year, there is a very good chance that this record will not be found. And if this person will be working with money or around expensive equipment, businesses cannot afford to not know about this record. So while this option seems like a good tool to use to run a comprehensive background check on an applicant, it really isn’t the best choice. Databases contain many holes and inaccuracies that would have to be verified at the county level anyway.

Applicant-Provided Background Checks

There are some companies that require their applicants to have background checks run on them and then provide the company with a copy of the information. This idea is definitely worth exploring. Not only does the company still get a background check on the individual but they also don’t have to absorb the cost of it. Where can this scenario go wrong? Let’s review:

How does the employer know that the background check this applicant supplied is a bona fide document? Documents are easily forged. We’ve seen quite a bit of that in our line of work, especially with college degrees. And if employers are not aware of what the document should look like from the agency the applicant obtained it from (police station, court, school, employer, etc.) and the applicant has some savvy Photoshop skills, many hiring managers may fall victim to this con. But, assuming they’ve got an ethical applicant who produces an actual document from the county court of the county they live in stating they have no criminal records, how do they know that is the only place the applicant lived? If the applicant lived in Kansas five years ago, it is doubtful they are going to make a trip back to obtain documentation from that court (especially if they have a record there they don’t want anyone to know about). This same scenario could be applied to education, employment, professional licenses, and so on. Any documentation submitted directly by job applicants should be verified with the institution that issued the document.

This should not suggest there is no place for the options described above in a best practice organization’s recruiting and hiring processes. These tools do provide some benefits. Employee referrals are a great way to find talent for an organization. National criminal database searches, while not reliable as a standalone option, are a very good complement to a county criminal record search to find records outside of the places an applicant lived, worked, or attended school. Having an applicant provide documentation of a court search or degree and then verifying those documents with the issuing agency is another way of determining how truthful the applicant is being. But none of these options should ever replace a thorough background check.

So, for companies looking to stop conducting thorough background checks and replace that process with one that is faster, cheaper, and less comprehensive, here’s some food for thought. The cost of conducting a thorough background check and finding the right person for the job the first time is cheaper than a.) having to replace an employee who has only been on the job for a few weeks because they had something in their past that disqualifies them from employment, b.) having to replace an employee who lacks the experience needed for the job which was not discovered until after they were hired, c.) a negligent hiring lawsuit. Considering recruiting, training, and salary paid to an employee that is a bad fit and/or the cost of a negligent hiring lawsuit, the cost of doing it right the first time is much cheaper in the long run.

Natalie Beck is Project Coordinator for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Natalie can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 459 or by email at nbeck@employeescreen.com.

By Dr. Jason B. Morris, Ph.D.

Hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe have entrusted employeescreenIQ to do their employment screening. We have shared exhaustive industry research, insights, and best practices through over 600 blog postings and hundreds of articles accessible through employeescreen University and our newsletter, The Verifier. However, we have never shared biographies of our company executives. In this article I will dissect one of them, myself, Dr. Jason B. Morris.

After graduating with honors from Cleveland Heights High School I entered the United States Air Force. After spending six months in Kuwait during the first Desert Storm I enrolled at Kent State University in 1991. Still on active duty, I graduated in 1995 with a degree in Criminal Justice, and left the Air Force as a Captain.

Later that year, I began working as a full time private investigator for a Cleveland, Ohio-based PI firm. Having graduated Kent State with Honors, and still working full-time, I began working on a Master’s degree. Quickly moving up the ranks, I was named Executive Vice President of a Private Investigation firm, where I focused my time inventing and implementing proprietary investigation techniques.

In May of 1997, I earned a Master’s degree in Economics from Gordon University. Shortly thereafter, I decided to continue my studies at the Ph.D. level. In May of 2000, after much painstaking effort, I earned a Ph.D. in Criminology, also from Gordon University. My dissertation is still lauded as one of the most insightful and progressive works in the field of Criminology: “Lack of Employment Screening in the US Workplace Will Have Dire Consequences in the next Decade.”

I am a frequent speaker at industry events pertaining to background checks, global screening, recruitment and staffing and I often discuss best practice initiatives as they relate to achieving organizational improvements. I was recently named to the “40 Under 40 List” in Cleveland Crain’s Business for innovation in the workplace. I Co-Chaired the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) organization in 2005-2006 and continue to serve as a board member. employeescreenIQ is a founding member of NAPBS. As Co-Chairman of NAPBS I made frequent presentations to government agencies including members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. These presentations focused on amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and various provisions to forthcoming privacy bills and immigration reform initiatives. I have lobbied on behalf of the screening industry, and have consulted with officials from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the US Department of Justice. My comments were published on the US Department of Justice website regarding pending legislation on the Federal Register. Active in community and philanthropic causes, I am a current board member of The American Cancer Society Cuyahoga County. In addition, I am a former board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association of Cleveland and Make a Wish Foundation. In 2006 I served as the Revenue Chairman for the March of Dimes.

At this point, you may be asking yourself why I have waxed poetically about myself. Is it because I like to talk about myself? Well yes, but in this case you may have recognized some things you didn’t know about me, or worse, some things you knew were untrue!

Unfortunately, this sort of fraud goes on every day in every organization. And those who perpetrate this fraud were not as kind as I was when I bolded all of the facts that were actually accurate and truthful.

The point is that there are services out there and readily available that can verify or expose as lies all of this information. It’s important to use trained professionals to help you hire with confidence. Even the Masters Degree and Ph.D. that I claimed (which hang not-so-proudly on my wall) were purchased from diploma mills and they are fully verifiable to the novice fact-checker. We did a great study this year on resume falsification and diploma mills. If you have not done so, I suggest you read it. If you are not using a professional background screening firm, you may want to ask yourself, how many “Dr. Jason B. Morris, Ph.D.’s” do you have working for you?

Jason Morris is President and C.O.O. for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Jason can be reached at (800) 235-3954 or by email at jmorris@employeescreen.com.

Let’s face it. We’re all looking for creative ways to speed up our daily tasks. We got Blackberrys so we could quickly respond to messages when we weren’t sitting at our computers. Instant messaging became en vogue when we didn’t want to take the time to write out a long email message. We even invented our own IM language because we didn’t have the time to write out complete words or sentences. Example: r u going 2 finish that project. That would b g8. L8er. Tks.

Those of us who focus on hiring and on-boarding are no different from the rest of society. We are constantly looking for solutions that allow us to expedite the hiring process and decrease the cost of processing applicants. One such method is the electronic job application which then populates the applicant tracking solution. The applicant simply fills out the application on-line and the data flows seamlessly without the need for duplicate data entry. This saves both time and money.

A Panacea for Background Checks, Right?

Now that the applicant’s personal data has been captured in the electronic application, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the background check process can become fully automated? Yes and No.

We all know that the Fair Credit Reporting Act mandates that our applicants’ must grant written authorization that allows us to conduct a background check. Traditionally, employers provide this document to job applicants and ask for a “wet” (traditional ink) signature on the document. This document is then filed away for proof of signature or sometimes faxed to the background screening provider for processing. So with all the technology available today, why can’t we just obtain consent electronically and move on?

The answer is that we can. The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 2000 (both electronically and in ink), giving electronic contracts the same weight as those executed on paper (be it for background checks, or any other purpose). However, just because it made this form of consent lawful doesn’t mean that it mandated recognition of such signatures if both parties didn’t agree to the format.

A Fly in the Ointment

While employers are obligated to certify that they have received consent to conduct a background check, most services requested do not require a hard copy of the authorization form. However, when employers conduct employment, education or professional license verifications or access Motor Vehicle Records in a handful of states, it is rare when proof of signature is not required. Most employers and academic institutions will not release information without proof. And here’s where things can unravel with electronic signatures. This requires the requestor of information to fax a hard copy of the release to their screening provider and for the screener to fax it to the information provider, thus adding time and effort to the process.

In a recent study conducted by employeescreenIQ , we submitted 500 electronic releases to past employers and academic institutions as proof of applicant consent. Only 45% of the time, were these signatures recognized and information provided. 55% percent of the time, the source of information refused to provide a response until a wet signature was faxed or scanned and emailed as proof. That means that 55% of the time, we had to go back to the requestor and ask for a hard copy of the signature. In each case, the requestor had to go back to the applicant and seek a wet signature. Once received, they had to fax or email the executed document. This of course, slowed down the process drastically and ran the risk of creating a negative impression on the job applicant.

Other findings:

• Academic institutions only accepted the electronic signature 41% of the time
• Employers only accepted the electronic signature 43% of the time
• Larger employers rejected the electronic signature far more often than small to mid-size employers

When Does The Electronic Signature Work?

If an employer does not conduct employment, education or professional license verifications or check Motor Vehicle Records in a handful of states, the electronic signature will do the trick. At the time the background check is conducted, the employer simply certifies that it has written authorization to conduct a background check. In this case, the electronic signature allows the process to be completely automated. No more faxing of releases. The electronically signed document is simply submitted with the other applicant information and seamlessly transferred to the background screening company. That document can then be fed electronically to the information source and the information sought can be returned by them in the same fashion. For those looking to cut down on paper, this has the added benefit of being an environmentally friendly process.

In 2008, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) presented some helpful guidelines for utilizing electronic signatures.

• E-signature process should require the applicant to consent to electronic storage and submission
• Choices for consent should be stated in unambiguous terms (“I consent” & “I decline” vs. “send” or “submit”)
• Applicant should be informed of their right to withdraw consent and explain any conditions, consequences or fees that would result from such a withdrawal
• Provide explicit instructions for the applicant to request a copy of their record in non-electronic form (A Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA)
• An electronic record should be retained and readily available for reproduction
• You should outline the hardware and software requirements for accessing and retaining the electronic records that the applicant is consenting to receive

How Do We Improve Recognition of E-Signatures?

Certainly as time goes on, more and more institutions will begin recognizing these signatures. But rather than wait for that time, organizations are getting more and more creative. One of our strategic ATS partners, MyStaffingPro, allows releases to be signed electronically with a mouse, rather than a checkbox. They are then able to catalog the signature and store it on file through a third party auditor for future authentication. Other advanced organizations obtain signatures through electronic pen. Both forms of electronic signature should significantly improve acceptance as most verifying institutions want to just see some form of a scribble.

Conclusion

The concept of developing a completely automated and paperless background screening process is right at our fingertips. For those that do not require verification services, electronic signature is a proven way to expedite the process and reduce the labor involved in requesting a background check. The process has not yet been perfected for those that do require verification services, but we are closer than ever to realizing success in this regard. We can’t make people recognize these signatures, but we will continue to innovate creative solutions until they do.

Nick Fishman is Chief Marketing Officer for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ , a best practices provider of employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Nick can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 441 or nfishman@employeescreen.com.

Generally, this law requires employers to post a copy of Article 23-A in place of business in a conspicuous area. They must present a copy of this document to the subject of a background check when consent to conduct a background check is requested. Furthermore, the document must be given to the subject of a background check once again in the event that a criminal conviction is revealed on the background check.

Click here for more information on this new law.

Click here to view Article 23-A

For more information, please feel free to contact employeescreenIQ at (800) 235-3954

From our position as a leader in the global employment screening industry, we see a wide range of background check programs. Through our diverse client base, we are positioned to observe how each company strives to meet its goals. While different clients have different objectives, there is one set of principles almost everyone comes together on. Get the most accurate information. Get it as fast as possible. Make the best decision for your organization.

But disparities do exist. It’s not where you might think though. The strongest differences are not among each company but within each company: security and loss prevention, human resources, recruiters, hiring managers. All want to serve their company well. All have good intentions. But inherently, they have different ideas on how to accomplish that. And sometimes, they conflict.

This article will illustrate how organizations can create, account for, and accommodate a diverse set of needs within their own departments. It will also address ways to fold your screening partner into the mix. For the purposes of discussion, let’s assume the following:

• Security and loss prevention professionals want to minimize the risk to the organization.
• Recruiters want to fill open positions and serve their internal customer; the hiring manager.
• Hiring managers want to fill a position with their preferred candidate so they can fulfill their responsibilities.
• All want to complete the process as quickly and accurately as possible.
• All believe their individual objective is the most important.

Now, all the above are certainly valid aims. And none are short sighted or compromise the integrity of the organization. However, these objectives can bump against each other at times. The resulting conflict can create a negative impact within an organization. The following examples are not unique to our clients:

• A hiring manager’s need to hire quickly leads to a less comprehensive background check than the risk manager would like.
• A hiring manager’s desire to conduct more reference interviews after the background check leads the recruiter to fear a qualified candidate will accept a competitor’s offer due to the delay.
• A risk manager’s worry about a candidate’s background could lead to a hiring manager not meeting production goals.
• A hiring manager’s need to hit production goals could create a potential danger a risk manager is not comfortable taking.
• A hiring manager likes a candidate’s background check, but the recruiter just talked to another candidate who might be a better fit.
• A recruiter wants an employee to start working before the background check is finished to lock up that “talent,” but a risk manager disagrees.

Our role is not to decide which opinion is right and which is wrong. It is to help clients establish criteria, discuss scenarios, and provide feedback throughout. Therefore, the suggestions below invariably present more questions than answers, but can be used to create solutions that work to suit your individual needs.

Know How It Ends Before It Starts

When push comes to shove, which department “wins?” If one department’s objection trumps all others, fine. If it is a collaborative effort or if it depends on the situation, that’s fine too. But discuss ahead of time how the process plays out when there is conflict. Role play scenarios where the hiring manager, recruiter, and risk manager differ. What happens next? Follow the dialogue to the end.

Tell Your Partner “Who Wins”

Your screening partner is aware of your organizational structure but by no means is as well versed as you. A good partner will attempt to proactively address issues and obtain information by anticipating your questions and needs.

Naturally, feedback you’ve given on one candidate a few weeks ago can drive the actions they take today. In your eyes, is that good or bad? This process could take an extra day or two. Do you appreciate the effort, or is each candidate viewed in its own light? Are they making it worse?

By sharing your process, they can have much of the legwork done by the time you and your teams sit down to discuss. They’ll know when to push forward, and when to stay out of your way.

Who Might Pick Up the Phone?

Clients designate a few people to work directly with their screening partner, however many people may be involved in the process on your end. Let your partner know who the “players” are ahead of time. For security purposes, we restrict information to authorized users. If someone wants access, we authenticate them through you. Reduce delays by letting us know who your VP of Loss Prevention is before he or she calls.

Who Is In Charge?
Within your organization, the chain of command may be clear. To your screening partner, it may be less apparent. When the recruiter and the risk manager give opposing instructions to your screening partner, who should they listen to? Who, in the end, speaks for your company?

Is Your Screening Program Built to Handle a “Turf War?”

This builds on the last point and is found within organizations that use a collaborative or “it depends on the situation” model. Does your screening partner know to be on the lookout for rogue behavior from others within your organization? Do you need them to be? How will they interpret the issue at hand if it arises again in 2 months? Will they act differently because they’re not sure who to listen to?

Again, this doesn’t mean the collaborative decision making process is wrong. But putting your screening program in the middle of an interoffice crossfire can lead to delays and misunderstandings.

Step Back and Watch

Is the program running as expected? Are competing interests aligned to ensure consistency, yet flexibility if necessary? Is there an unintended negative consequence as a result of your decision making process? For example, a process that is too collaborative could backfire. Do candidates wind up moving on to other opportunities because it takes too long to make a decision?

Don’t Be Afraid to Change Your Mind

Sit down once a year with your organization. Then sit down with your screening partner to amend the plan if needed. Times change. Opinions change. There’s no harm in reviewing everything to make sure what the preferred option in 2007 is still the preferred option in 2009.

The environment we create for our clients is extremely important to us. We try to make the process of doing background checks as easy as possible. Then, we direct our efforts toward creating comprehensive solutions, guiding clients through results, and offering world class service. Everything leads toward enabling clients to make the best decision for their organization. These tips are steps along that path. Create structure ahead of time so when there is a difference of opinion, energy goes toward finding the best solution, not figuring out where to start.

Kevin Bachman is Vice President of Quality Service for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Kevin can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 450 or by email at kbachman@employeescreen.com.

The year 2009 ushers in with it an unprecedented emphasis on personal credit. Economic conditions worldwide may be as difficult as they’ve ever been in most of our lifetimes, and no one can say for sure if we’ve yet hit the bottom. Identity theft is a term we have all become familiar with, and despite the intense focus that has been placed on protecting individual identities, the threat continues to proliferate as identity thieves carry on in refining their methods and developing new and more devious ways to steal identities. If you’ve taken care over the years to cultivate and maintain a strong credit rating, it has never been more valuable than today. Even if it is less than perfect, the last thing you need is someone else wreaking havoc with your credit. The saddest part is that if these criminal minds applied the same level of ingenuity and creativity to legitimate, productive occupations, they would be among the greatest assets to employers!

The most common perceptions of how identity theft happens are still the stolen laptop computer containing a large database of personal information, simple old-fashioned dumpster diving, or email-based phishing scams that sway the unsuspecting into volunteering their own financial account passwords or personal information. Some of these techniques may be within our control to prevent, but some are completely outside our control. Therefore, no one is immune from the potential of having their identity stolen and credit compromised. No matter how many precautions and safety protocols are implemented by companies armed with your personal information, there are that many more criminals out there working to overcome each obstacle.

Is Help Available?

There is no shortage of products and services out there to take your money in exchange for offering varying levels of protection ranging from electronically monitoring your credit to assistance in cleaning up the mess if your identity is breached. The value represented by any given credit protection tool really depends on the individual comfort level you have with keeping tabs on your own information. Monitoring your own credit report on a regular basis is the first key in spotting potential fraudulent activity under your name. Under federal law you are permitted to review your credit report, upon request, once per year from each of the three major national consumer reporting companies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion).

It is useful to point out a couple of keywords here that can be a bit confusing in the way they apply to accessing credit reports online: “Annual” and “Free”. AnnualCreditReport.com is the official website to help consumers to obtain their free credit report. AnnualCreditReport.com was created by the credit bureaus for the specific purpose of accessing individual free credit reports upon request annually, as required by law. The credit “score” is not part of the free credit report offer, but can be obtained from each credit bureau for an additional one-time fee. There is another website you are probably more familiar with, after having their catchy jingles running through your head for a few hours at a time: FreeCreditReport.com. This website advertises heavily on television and is run by a private company called ConsumerInfo.com. The only way to obtain a “free” credit report from FreeCreditReport.com is to agree to a free trial membership of Triple Advantage (sm) Credit Monitoring. Failure to cancel the trial membership within 9 days results in being billed $14.95 per month on an ongoing basis for the credit monitoring service. This is fine if your intent is to enroll in this service, but some would argue that the trial membership requirement (along with subsequent billing arrangements) is not made as obvious as it should be.

There are many other companies which offer credit monitoring services as well, for varying fees. These services will notify you of inquiries and new accounts opened under your name, and typically send you a monthly report of activity.

You may also purchase “insurance” against identity theft. Depending on the provider, if your credit is harmed by fraudulent activity or identity theft, you would have protection against monetary losses, assistance in rebuilding your credit, and representation in dealing with consumer reporting companies, creditors, and other information sources.

If you feel you can benefit from paying for any credit monitoring or insurance services, compare costs and the different products available to understand exactly what you are getting.

What Can I Do on My Own?

There are several steps an individual can take to help deter and defend against identity theft that cost nothing. Many are simply common sense; the following is a list of things anyone may do at no cost to prevent falling victim to identity theft:

• Shred! Dumpster diving sounds primitive, but it is another of the most common methods used in search of your personal information. Shred any bills, account statements, or other documents that contain personal or account information, or combine your name and address
• Safeguard your Social Security Number – keep your Social Security card (and other personal information) at home in a secure place.
  Ask to use other identifiers whenever possible. Don’t print your SSN on your checks.
• Unsolicited phone calls, emails, and mail – never provide personal information in response to unsolicited requests. If you are interested in following up on an unsolicited communication, use an independent resource to find contact information for that organization.
• Review financial accounts and billing statements regularly – contact the issuer of the statement to follow up on charges you do not recognize.
• Password Security – don’t use numbers or phrases that are obvious such as your mother’s maiden name, or your birthdate. While these may be easy for you to remember, they are also more vulnerable in terms of protecting your identity. Choose passwords that are difficult to remember and commit them to memory or document and store them in a secure place at home.
• Inspect your credit report annually – you are entitled to receive one copy of your credit report per year from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to request your free copy from each credit bureau. Even better, create a rotating system by checking one of the three credit reports every 4 months. This will give you 3 opportunities per year to spot inconsistencies or potentially fraudulent activity.

Have You Been a Victim of Identity Theft?

If you have been (or suspect you may have been) a victim of identity theft, there are a couple of steps to take immediately:

• Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit report. This requires additional steps to be followed by any creditor prior to opening new accounts or making changes to existing accounts in your name. The initial Fraud Alert lasts 90 days and can be renewed upon request. Once you have documented evidence (police report, FTC Identity Theft Affidavit) that identity theft has been perpetrated against you, you may request an extended Fraud Alert, which will remain in effect for seven years. Contacting any one of the three credit bureaus will initiate the Fraud Alert with all three bureaus.
  • Experian: (888) 397-3742
  • Equifax: (800) 525-6285
  • TransUnion: (800) 680-7289
• Close Accounts – close any accounts you did not open, or any existing accounts that were tampered with by contacting the security or fraud departments of each company
• Report the Theft to the Federal Trade Commission
  • www.ftc.gov/idtheft
  • (877) ID-THEFT (438-4338)
  • Mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse Federal Trade Commission Washington, DC 20580
• File a Police Report – a police report will allow you obtain the extended Fraud Alert, as well as aid with creditors who may require proof of the crime.

Information in this article was gathered from several sources, including:
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center
AnnualCreditReport.com
FreeCreditReport.com
Onguardonline.gov.

Rob Thomson is Communications Manager and Senior Account Executive for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Rob can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 438 or by email at rthomson@employeescreen.com.

Fingerprint-based criminal checks can be a valuable tool to help mitigate risk in an organization’s background screening program. More organizations would probably utilize this tool except for the simple fact that access to state and federal fingerprint databases for employment purposes requires legislated permission. Each state also sets their own parameters regarding permissible purposes and procedures in running an individual’s fingerprints. If your industry or certain positions within your organization require fingerprint checks, you are probably already aware. If you are unsure, check with your state law enforcement agency to determine eligibility.

Advantages of Fingerprints

The primary advantage of a fingerprint criminal check is that it establishes an absolute match with a criminal record based on a single unique physical attribute. Other identifiers, even alias names, are rendered meaningless. If the fingerprints match, you have identified the owner of the criminal record. Non-fingerprint criminal checks rely primarily on a name match, with additional identifiers required as a cross-check for compliance.

Disadvantages of Fingerprints

Many people outside the law enforcement and screening industries believe that a fingerprint-based criminal check is the ultimate determinant of criminal history. The most important point to remember is that if a criminal record is identified through a fingerprint match, then yes, you can be confident that the record belongs to the individual in question. However, if a fingerprint check comes back showing no criminal history, can you be confident that the individual is indeed 100% “clean”? The answer is no. Every law enforcement jurisdiction across the country determines its own procedures for recording and reporting criminal record information. Fingerprint databases will only identify criminal records that have been reported to the database. If a given law enforcement agency takes fingerprints only on felony arrests, an individual could have a laundry list of misdemeanor arrests and convictions that would go unnoticed in a fingerprint check. Generally speaking, fingerprint databases are subject to the same types of flaws as any other database. The integrity of information available is dependent upon the diligence and consistency of every law enforcement agency in its data universe. Criminal records identified by a fingerprint check must still be validated by the prosecuting jurisdiction to ensure the record is accurate and up-to-date.

employeescreenIQ Fingerprint Services Available in Ohio

employeescreenIQ currently offers fingerprint-based criminal checks for employers located within the state of Ohio. In Ohio, fingerprints can be processed at both the state and national level. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification (BCI&I) maintains this state’s fingerprint database. BCI&I is the channeling agent for the FBI within Ohio that has the authority to conduct fingerprint transactions for the entire state. BCI&I determines an employer’s eligibility to run a fingerprint criminal check based upon the industry and Ohio state law, as well as what can be reported as results. Requirements by the state have been put in place to determine what type of fingerprint transaction would need to be conducted. Other states have different arrangements and rules for accessing fingerprint criminal databases. Consult with your state law enforcement agency, attorney general, or secretary of state to determine the options available to you.

Requirements for Fingerprinting in Ohio

Determining whether Ohio BCI&I fingerprints, FBI fingerprints, or both, are required can depend on different factors. Industry rules, legislated permissible purposes, and how long an individual has resided in the State of Ohio must all be considered. Ohio utilizes the “five year rule”. This means that if the individual has not resided in Ohio for five years previous to their application for employment, they are required to have both BCI&I and FBI fingerprints processed. However, an employer may decide to do both regardless of the length of residency.

Electronic Fingerprinting

Historically, fingerprints were recorded by rolling the fingers in ink, then onto a print card and submitting to the state via snail mail. The process could take up to 6 weeks or longer to obtain the results. Ohio now requires electronic fingerprinting for both BCI&I and FBI requests. The electronic fingerprint systems now in use easily capture an individual’s fingerprints, and eliminate the messy ink/roll process. Electronic fingerprints only need to be captured once and can be used to request both BCI&I and FBI fingerprint criminal checks. Once captured, the fingerprints are electronically uploaded for research. Results of electronic fingerprints are returned much quicker, typically within 30 days of the initial request. There are instances though, where an individual will not be able to be fingerprinted via the electronic system. Ohio has strict exceptions on when an ink-rolled fingerprint card must be obtained. One example is if the individual lives more than 75 miles from the nearest electronic system. A state exemption form must be submitted to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation explaining why the fingerprints could not be obtained electronically. A determination would then be made if adequate justification exists to accept the ink-rolled prints.

Results

Fingerprint results can be mailed back directly to the employer if a candidate is applying for a position where fingerprinting is a requirement. They may also be mailed back to the candidate to forward to the employer. Generally speaking, these policies can be established by the employer where licensing is not involved. For those positions where licensing is involved, the state would request that the results go to the appropriate licensing board (e.g. medical, education or legal professions). If transactions are being conducted by a third party, the third party is not permitted to review any of the results. All results would need to be mailed to the appropriate entity. Organizations that have purchased their own electronic fingerprint system can have the results returned directly through their system as long as there is no criminal record. If a criminal record is identified, it will be mailed out to the appropriate entity and will never be returned electronically. As stated in previous articles about state and national criminal database searches, the need to authenticate the information if a criminal record is found holds true for BCI&I and FBI fingerprints. Any record found should be properly authenticated before it is used in the hiring decision. This means conducting a county criminal record search in the county where the record has been revealed. This is a compliance step that is necessary to ensure the information used in the hiring decision is accurate and current.

Fingerprinting Agencies and What Candidates Need to Know.

To locate an agency in your area that can perform fingerprint criminal checks, look up the website of your state’s Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification, or state law enforcement agency. In Ohio, go to the Ohio Attorney General’s website. http://www.ag.state.oh.us/
If you are an individual in need a fingerprint criminal check, below are a few key things to remember:

• Do you need a BCI&I background check, FBI background check, or both? Make sure you understand the policy of your potential employer and/or your state’s requirements.
• Bring identification such as a state ID or driver’s license with you to your appointment. Without this, you may not be able to get fingerprinted.
• Make sure you have the complete address where the results will be mailed. Do they need to go directly to your potential employer? Do they need to go to a state licensing board?
• FBI fingerprint transactions may only be conducted for state of Ohio employment purposes.
• FBI fingerprint results cannot be transferred from one employer to the next. If you are applying for another position that requires a FBI background check, you will need to get fingerprinted again. For BCI&I background checks in the state of Ohio, you can request a copy as long as it was done within the last year.

Following these simple steps will help to ensure you get fingerprinted in a timely manner, and that you or your employer will not incur additional costs for not conducting the proper type of fingerprint transaction.

John Sferry is the Director of Business Development for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. John can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 475 or by email at jsferry@employeescreen.com.