Background Check Pitfalls

Some employers routinely run background checks on applicants and current employees. But there are some legal limits on the information you can gather and use when making employment decisions. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: · Make sure your inquiries are related to the job. If you decide to do a background check, stick to information that is relevant to the job for which you are considering the worker. · Ask for consent from the applicant or worker, in writing, to perform the background check. Explain clearly what you plan to check on and how you will gather the information. This gives the worker the opportunity to take herself out of the running if there is something in her past she wants to keep private. It also prevents the worker from later claiming that her privacy was unfairly invaded. If a worker refuses to consent to a reasonable request for information, you may legally decide not to hire the worker on that basis. · Be reasonable when doing background checks. Employers can get in legal trouble if they engage in overkill. You will not need to perform an extensive background check on every applicant.