If you have a criminal record, the best strategy is, to be honest and transparent. You can develop a policy for conducting pre-hire checks using a reputable background check provider.
This policy should include a process for disqualifying candidates and follow Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) guidelines for adverse action.
Know the Law
Criminal record background checks are a report that lists an individual’s arrests and convictions. The report can be obtained through various sources, including public records, the national sex offender registry, the federal prison system, and law enforcement databases. Criminal records can affect many aspects of life, including employment, renting an apartment/house, and placing children in daycare centers. Employers are permitted to check an applicant’s criminal record. Still, they can only use this information in making a hiring decision if it is based on an individual’s qualifications for the job. A blanket policy to exclude all applicants with a record may be considered discrimination by the Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
HR and hiring managers must understand the laws regarding using criminal background checks in hiring so they can make informed decisions. When a bad hire is made, it can cost the company money, brand damage, and risk legal action. This is especially true when the bad hire has a record that could endanger your customers or other employees.
Be Transparent
Background checks are critical to ensuring that your business has employees who don’t pose a risk to customers, vendors, or the public. They can also help verify information provided on an application, such as education or employment history.
However, being transparent with your candidates when using criminal record background checks in hiring is important. This can help avoid any misinterpretation of the results or accusations of discrimination. For example, suppose you have “ban the box” laws in place. In that case, your background check policy should clearly state that past criminal records are not disqualifying and that a decision not to hire an applicant is based on multiple factors, including the type of crime, the severity of the conviction, when it occurred, and how long ago it was committed.
It’s also a good idea to delay any checks that may reveal criminal records until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. This can help prevent confusion about why a specific hiring decision was made and may reduce the risk of negligent hiring lawsuits in cases where an employee’s criminal record causes harm to customers or other staff members. Additionally, it’s a good idea to continuously screen current employees to stay informed about any changes in their backgrounds, such as new criminal records, license revocations, or other issues that could impact your company’s ability to maintain regulatory compliance.
Get Your Story Straight
As the company’s public face, employees are a critical part of an organization’s image to customers, partners, and the general public. One bad hire can impact the reputation of an entire business. That’s why criminal background checks are so important.
Despite efforts by some states and cities to “ban the box” that asks candidates if they have a criminal record on their applications, hiring managers will likely find out about your past convictions eventually. It’s a good idea to be ready to discuss them early on in the interview so that you can put your best foot forward and make it clear that you have made changes and are no longer the same person who committed the crime.
A criminal background check can involve searches of various sources, including courts, correctional facilities, state and federal government records, sex offender registries, and FBI records. This enables companies to get a detailed snapshot of their past, but that data can be inaccurate and confusing.
This is especially true because services often rely on the most easily accessible and cheaply obtained data, which is more prone to errors. Additionally, some crimes appear on reports even after being expunged or sealed, which can cause confusion and unfairly limit opportunities for those with a history of crime.
Be Honest
While some people may feel that a criminal record background check is a form of discrimination, many states have passed laws that make it illegal to discriminate against an applicant based on past crimes. That said, it’s still important, to be honest on job applications about whether or not you have a criminal record. If your conviction relates to the specific duties of your potential role and has been several years ago, then it probably shouldn’t prevent you from being hired.
It’s also important to note that a criminal background check isn’t infallible. There are often errors in records, including false arrests or wrongful convictions. This is why more and more employers are focusing on fleshing out their background checks with supplementary checks (such as education, employment, and address history) to avoid blind spots and to get smarter about hiring.
Making a bad hire can cost your organization in many ways, including lost productivity, poor team morale, damaged reputation, and more, and negligent hiring lawsuits are costly and time-consuming to settle. A well-documented and legally compliant screening process will allow you to assess candidates fairly and consistently while maintaining a safe environment for your staff, patrons, and business partners. That way, you can rest assured that the right person is being brought on board to support your organization’s growth and success.
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