10 Steps to Effective Screening

Transcription

1 10 Steps to Effective Screening from ADP Screening and Selection Services KnowledgeLink Help Desk Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Screening and Selection Services 301 Remington Street Fort Collins, Colorado toll free: ADP is a registered trademark of ADP, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners ADP, Inc.

2 Kudos to you for taking strides to hire safe, honest and qualified employees. The following steps will help you implement the most effective and compliant background screening process to easily select the right people for your organization. Once you've reviewed these steps know that you can take your precautions one step further with ADP Screening and Selection Services. With more than 18 years of industry leading experience, we make it easy to hire the right people. Find the solutions you've been looking for with our Criminal Court Records, Driving Records, Workers' Compensation Records, Government Registries and Reference Verifications. Call to get started with a compliant screening program. 1 Develop a Screening Policy Before you start doing background checks, be sure to write standard policies and outline procedures. Policies can be geared toward specific job positions or be broken out according to the types of background checks you will complete on all applicants. Should you become an ADP client, our compliance experts can help you develop standard policies. Spread the word to current employees that you will now be conducting background checks on all applicants. This way they will be well informed if they apply for a different position within your company. 2 Use a Professional Job Application and Assessment Both employment applications and assessments can enhance the efficiency of your screening program. They help you qualify and narrow your pool of applicants, ultimately delivering added cost savings since you will conduct fewer interviews and background checks. Here are some things to consider: Whether you develop your own employment application or purchase an EEOcompliant version from ADP or another established vendor, it should cover both questions that are pertinent to the job and your business. Suggested areas to include on your application are Personal Information, Availability, Credentials, Skills, Prior Address, Employment History, Professional References, Education and Convictions. Job fit assessments should be included as part of your initial filtering process as well. Reliable, validated assessments will rank your candidate as a Good, Manageable or Questionable fit for the position.

3 3 Interview Use a standard candidate ranking form for all applicants. Develop a list of EEO-compliant interview questions. Should you become an ADP client, our compliance experts can help you develop a list of standard EEO-compliant questions. Be aware of any state laws that forbid you from asking your applicant about offenses that did not result in an arrest or other types of restricted information. 4 FCRA Compliance As part of your background screening process, you will need to ensure compliance with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which governs the use of consumer reports (i.e., criminal court records) for employment purposes. The following forms are necessary for abiding by the FCRA. Notice and Disclosure Form - have your applicants read and sign this form to acknowledge that your company performs background checks as part of your hiring process. Make a copy and give the original to the applicant. Release Authorization Form - have applicants sign this document as well. It gives courts, schools and other government agencies the applicants' legal permission to fulfill background checks. "Summary of Your Rights under the FCRA" - give your applicants a copy of this federally required document so they will know what steps to take if they wish to dispute the findings of a report. 5 Background Check Reports Order the same set of background checks for all applicants applying for the same position. For compliance purposes, it is important to ensure you are ordering background checks from a reputable vendor or from the appropriate government agency. Some providers can even create position specific packages to address industry requirements and your company's unique hiring concerns.

4 6 Compare Results to Standard Criteria Once you have the background check results in hand, compare them to the same criteria to create consistency. The EEOC states that it is permissible to use arrest information in the hiring process, but it is forbidden to develop a blanket policy barring employment to those who have been arrested for a crime. When confronted with information about the applicant's previous arrest record, the EEOC directs employers to: o Determine if the applicant committed the alleged crime. o Consider the nature and gravity of the offense. o Consider how long ago the offense was committed. o Consider the nature of the job and the relationship to the offense. Based on these guidelines, you can determine which of your applicants is eligible to be hired. 7 Make a Conditional Job Offer At this point, you can send your applicant a conditional job offer stating that employment is contingent upon passing a drug test, medical exam or workers' compensation records check. Keep in mind, the ADA requires that a conditional job offer be extended prior to an employer asking disability-related questions. *Note: Some states require you to make a conditional job offer before completing any type of background check. Review your state's pre-employment laws to ensure your screening process is compliant. 8 Complete Drug Test and Workers Compensation Check Have the applicant take a drug test. If you use a vendor, provide the name, address and telephone number of the testing site and any further instructions or paperwork. Have the applicant schedule a medical examination to determine if s/he can meet the physical requirements of the job without causing harm to her/himself. When appropriate to the job position, such as a manufacturing job, and only after a conditional job offer has been made, order a workers' compensation records check to learn if your applicant has a history of injuries and previous workers' compensation claims.

5 9 Perform Adverse Action Once again, assess whether your finalist is eligible for employment by comparing the results of his/her medical exam, workers' compensation and drug test results against your company policy. Whenever you decide not to hire an applicant based on information provided in his/her background check, the FCRA requires you to complete a process known as Adverse Action. To simplify this process for you, ADP can handle all necessary applicant correspondence, send copies of completed background checks and resolve disputes. If you oversee Adverse Action on your own, federal law requires you to give the applicant a chance to correct or dispute any inaccurate information contained in his/her background check report(s). 10 Rejection and Offer Letters Send rejection letters to all the applicants you did not select. Provide an offer letter to the selected candidate. Congratulations, you have now hired a thoroughly screened employee! Call to make your screening process easy, flexible, compliant and complete. Disclaimer: This information is based on generally accepted HR practice and is advisory in nature. Please seek the advice of a qualified legal counsel to determine the course of action appropriate for your company.