Employers, more than ever before, need to protect themselves against accidents and crimes committed by their employees. With negligent hiring, lawsuits, training costs, workplace violence and theft on the rise, pre-employment screening as well as taking the correct pre-employment screening steps are no longer an option, but rather a necessity for businesses.

Proper pre-employment screening should follow the process described in the FCRA. The following checklist covers the important and required steps for compliant pre-employment screening.

1. Receive application or resume from applicant.Obtain signed copy of Release Form from applicant.
2. Submit information to FCRA compliant background check company, or conduct research directly from numerous governmental agencies, previous employers, and educational institutions.
3. Receive and review pre-employment screening results.
4. If applicant passes this background check, proceed to hire applicant following in-house guidelines.
5. If applicant fails to pass this background check, or an adverse hiring decision is subsequently made, provide applicant with a copy of the “Pre-Adverse Action Letter” and a copy of the FCRA Rights document known as “A Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA.”
6. After a reasonable waiting period (typically five to seven days), provide applicant with the “Adverse Action Letter” and a complete copy of their background report or your findings. If the applicant successfully passes the pre-employment screening, but requests a copy, they too are entitled to a copy of their report.
7. Retain all results, copies of letters and correspondence, and application or resume for at least two years.