虽然雇主通常很清楚背景审查的好处，但一些求职者，尤其是那些历史并不完美的求职者，认为这种做法是有酬就业的障碍，尤其是在失业率很高的经济体中。
这导致围绕就业背景调查的诉讼似乎有所增加，这可能反过来又导致立法和监管机构加强审查，例如美国平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC)。
因此，许多雇主正在重新评估他们的背景筛选计划、政策和流程，并重新考虑历史上“一刀切”的广泛方法，而不管工作分类如何。
为了帮助指导这一分析，您可以提出三个关键问题，以更好地确保您的招聘和背景筛查实践基于合理的推理进行适当调整，并且能够在 EEOC、个人诉讼当事人和潜在集体诉讼的歧视索赔中幸存下来索赔：
所有可用信息在评估候选人时是否同样相关？
背景调查有各种形式和规模。有些可以包含非常深入的搜索，有些可以像查看申请人的驾驶历史一样简单。无论您选择哪种类型的背景调查，重要的是要问自己：“我们将如何处理结果？”。在回答这个问题时，请记住对您选择使用特定背景调查方法的原因进行战略推理。由于 EEOC 宣布怀疑组织过分强调在就业筛选过程中获得的犯罪记录信息的价值，这一点尤其紧迫。
什么时候下令进行犯罪记录或信用检查是合适的？
EEOC 建议犯罪记录和信用检查可能不适用于组织内的所有职位。为了对哪个职位以及要使用的检查类型进行评估，请考虑以下事项：工作职责的性质
将执行工作的环境
与某些类型的客户接触的程度，这使得了解并能够评估候选人的犯罪历史或当前财务状况很重要
您应该如何使用背景调查的结果来做出招聘决定？
从历史上看，组织被建议在对申请人采取不利行动（即，不雇用）时使用一致的标准，认为这样做可以帮助他们避免因工作场所是否存在歧视的关键试金石而提出的潜在索赔。然而，EEOC 的新指南警告不要对背景筛选申请人采用固定和通用的规则，而是专注于针对每项工作的更量身定制的招聘流程。为了避免这些说法，组织可以从与信誉良好的背景筛选公司合作中受益，这可以帮助他们使量身定制的招聘评估成为现实。
background screening are usually clear to employers, the practice has been considered by some job seekers, particularly those with less-than-perfect histories, as a barrier to gainful employment, especially in an economy with strong unemployment rates.
This has led to what seems to be an increase in litigation surrounding employment background checks, which has perhaps, in turn, resulted in enhanced scrutiny from legislative and regulatory bodies, like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
As a result, many employers are re-evaluating their background screening programs, policies, and processes and reconsidering historically broad approaches that were “one-size-fits-all”, regardless of the job classification.
To help guide this analysis, there are three critical questions you can ask to better ensure your hiring and background screening practices are appropriately tailored, based in sound reasoning, and able to survive claims of discrimination from the EEOC, individual litigants, and potential class action claims:
Is all available information equally relevant in assessing a candidate?
Background checks come in all shapes and sizes. Some can encompass a very in-depth search, and others could be as simple as reviewing an applicant’s driving history. Regardless of the type of background check you choose, it is important to ask yourself, “What are we going to do with the results?”.As you’re answering this, remember to have a strategic reasoning for why you chose to use your specific method of background check. This is especially pressing with the EEOC’s announced suspicions of organizations over-emphasizing the value of criminal records information acquired during the employment screening process.
When is it appropriate to order criminal record or credit checks?
The EEOC suggests that criminal records and credit checks may not be appropriate for all positions within an organization. In order to make this assessment of which position, and what types of checks to use, consider the following:Nature of job duties
Environment where work will be performed
Level of exposure to certain types of customers that makes it important to know and be able to evaluate candidate’s criminal history or current financial status
How should you use the results of a background check to make a hiring decision?
Historically, organizations were advised to use consistent criteria when taking adverse action against (i.e., not hiring) an applicant, with the thinking that doing so could help them avoid potential claims from a critical litmus test of whether discrimination exists within the workplace.The EEOC’s new guidelines, however, caution against fixed and generalized rules for background screening applicants, instead focusing on a more tailored hiring process focused on each job specifically. To avoid these claims, organizations could benefit from partnering with a reputable background screening company, one that could help them make tailored hiring assessments a reality.
