Last week, a lawsuit was publicized in which a doorman was not hired because of a faulty background screen. According to Dan Flesher of Quartz, Kevin A. Jones was not hired because the background screening company reported criminal records found under the name Kevin M. Jones. He had at least three criminal convictions. The hiring company did not give Jones a chance to dispute the findings before the offer was withdrawn.
This article brought up the issues in the background screening industry that have been present since the beginning—issues that all hiring managers need to be aware of before they choose a screening firm. There are no licensing requirements for screening firms, and, unlike a credit check, the applicant cannot access his or her own file to check for errors. In employment screening, like most other industries, there are good firms, and there are not-so-good ones. However, some of the biggest firms are the most careless with their procedures and policies. How?
- Flushing or dumping records to hit deadlines
- Using non-compliant disclosure and authorization forms
- Reporting expired data, which leads to litigation
At KRESS, we pride ourselves on a process created to protect our clients and allow them to make informed hiring decisions every time. We take the time to check every record with human eyes (not industry standard) because we understand that automation can actually get in the way of accuracy in our industry. We also have licensed private investigators on staff that work with every client.
There is no excuse for this lawsuit. It’s time to demand more of your screening provider. When you’re ready to work with a firm committed to excellence, call KRESS.