Accuracy is important for background screening companies

Many businesses use the services of background screening companies to help them conduct comprehensive investigations into employees' consumer credit reports and criminal records. This practice is often crucial, as it helps employers determine if a person is right for a particular job.

However, if the process is conduct in an unprofessional manner, it can present more challenges than solutions. In a recent article, insideARM highlighted the case of a screening firm that mistakenly included a criminal report on an investigated subject's file.

The error appears to have been a honest mistake, as the record from an individual with the same name and birth date were inaccurately added to the person's file. However, a simple search for Social Security number data by the source found that there was indeed available information that could have been used by the screening firm to differentiate between the two people.

This shows just how careful enterprises need to be when conducting a background search. Such mistakes could potentially cost people lucrative jobs and may be legal hotbeds that can result in significant monetary penalties for screening companies and, potentially, their clients.

Apart from ensuring that information is accurate, screening firms need to make sure that the process they follow to obtain and conduct a background check is in compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, increased monitoring by the EEOC has resulted in a spike in litigation associated with Fair Credit Reporting Act violations.

To find a reputable screening agency, businesses should consult with trusted friends, family members and industry experts to discuss enterprises they have used in the past. Also, executives should consider the ratings provided by advocacy and consumer groups such as the Better Business Bureau to find a professional.