Is there a racial profiling problem in background checking new hires?

Consumer credit data companies should be aware of the risks associated with background checking new hires and job candidates in regards to racial discrimination, according to the National Review.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has been working to block such actions by employers completely, stating that statistics showing that more people of color have been incarcerated than white citizens is a reason to eliminate the process in the name of equality.

The EEOC is fighting at a time when it looks like ratios will tip to make white Americans the minority in the state, as Reuters and the Associated Press report. California is projected to be mostly Hispanic in one year, the AP says, and it will join New Mexico and Hawaii as one of three states with a non-white majority.

With the west coast demographic shift in mind, business owners all across the country should be taking the EEOC's statements seriously, says the National Review. While the source reports the guidelines penned by the federal organization were not discussed thoroughly with companies and business owners affected by its connotations, individuals were allowed to attend and voice their opinions in front of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in December 2012.

The guidelines, the National Review states, have been established to bring business owners' attention away from criminal backgrounds and towards the good of a largely oppressed community.