背景调查是明智、安全的招聘实践的关键组成部分。专业的背景调查公司是这个过程中非常宝贵的合作伙伴。
他们为各种规模的企业带来了可观的调查资源和技能，以及无缝的 ATS 集成、直观的候选人门户和可扩展的解决方案。使用专业背景调查公司时要寻找的一件重要事情是合规方面的专业知识。
围绕收集和使用消费者信息的法律法规复杂且经常变化；背景调查组织随时了解最新的联邦、州和地方要求，以帮助指导其客户合规。雇主应始终与具有这些法律专业知识的自己的法律顾问一起审查他们的背景审查计划。
对于使用背景审查公司的雇主来说，了解他们在《 公平信用报告法》（FCRA）下的责任至关重要。雇主有责任遵守并遵守本法。在实践中，这意味着在所有方面都认真遵守法律。
什么是 FCR？
FCRA是联邦政府于 1970 年通过的立法，旨在保护消费者信息。
多年来，法律的范围不断发展，包括保护个人数据和报告消费者不利信息的范围。从本质上讲，FCRA 是一项消费者保护法，旨在促进消费者信息的准确性、公平性和隐私性。
与获得专业背景调查员协会 (PBSA) 认证的背景调查提供商合作，有助于确保个人数据的收集、存储和处置是依法进行的。作为收集和使用求职者个人信息的雇主，您也有许多法律规定的责任。
什么是雇主合规责任？
雇主层面的 FCRA 合规性包括以下注意事项：
允许的目的： FCRA 允许雇主使用第三方背景调查公司为某些允许的目的进行背景调查，包括对候选人或雇员进行筛选。如果雇主出于就业目的进行筛选，他们必须遵守 FCRA 的规定才能这样做。
披露和同意：必须向候选人或员工提供进行背景调查意图的书面披露。此披露必须与所有其他文件分开并单独呈现。此外，候选人必须提供他们签署的背景调查同意书。
结果：背景调查完成后，但在做出任何不利的招聘决定之前，必须向候选人展示调查结果，并有机会对报告中任何不正确或不完整的结果提出异议。此外，候选人必须提供他们签署的背景调查同意书。
EEOC 指导：平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC)制定了防止歧视的指导方针。雇主应考虑某些因素，包括但不限于犯罪或行为的性质和严重程度；
自犯罪、行为和/或刑期完成以来经过的时间；和。
担任或寻求的工作的性质。
还必须考虑联邦或州消费者报告和禁盒法。
以个人为基础考虑每个案例并考虑其他信息，例如时间、整体特征和康复努力，将有助于雇主将过去的犯罪行为纳入背景。此外，为您的组织制定明确的、针对特定职位的雇用/不雇用矩阵将帮助您一致、公平地并按照 EEOC 法规应用标准。
两步不利行动程序：如果背景筛选报告中报告了可能对候选人产生不利影响的情况，例如阻止他们被聘用，FCRA 要求采取两步不利行动流程。首先，雇主必须提供书面的不利行动前通知，以及消费者报告的副本和消费者金融保护局的“公平信用报告法下您的权利摘要”。雇主必须留出合理的时间，通常至少为 5 个工作日（某些司法管辖区需要更长的时间），让候选人有机会在任何雇用决定最终确定之前解释、争议或纠正调查结果。其次，一旦不利的雇用决定成为最终决定，必须向候选人提供书面的不利雇用决定通知。
像 Accurate 这样的专业背景调查公司在 FCRA 合规方面发挥着重要作用。我们先进的软件和解决方案使雇主和候选人能够访问表格和法律通知，提供电子披露和授权，并代表我们的客户分发不利和不利行动前的通知。在值得信赖的背景审查合作伙伴的帮助下，合规性要容易得多。
违反 FCRA 的后果是什么？
作为使用背景调查来帮助您建立安全劳动力的雇主，您需要对 FCRA 合规性保持警惕，并特别注意以下常见陷阱：
不允许的目的。您必须有法律允许的目的才能要求进行背景调查。
披露错误。如果您对消费者进行背景调查，您必须事先通知他们，并且披露不能在细则中或与任何其他文件混淆。需要一份明显、简洁、独立的披露通知。雇主还必须注意不要包含任何可能被视为无关的额外语言。
缺少同意。个人必须通过手写或数字签名表示同意，才能获得背景筛查报告。
未能分享。如果您认为您将根据从背景筛选报告中收集到的信息做出不利的招聘决定，您需要将信息通知候选人，并告知他们有权对不正确或不完整的信息提出异议。他们需要被告知背景调查公司的名称以及如何对任何信息提出异议的说明。一旦您的不利决定成为最终决定，您必须将您的决定通知候选人。
They bring considerable investigative resources and skills to the table as well as seamless ATS integrations, intuitive candidate portals, and scalable solutions for businesses of all sizes. One important thing to look for when using a professional background screening company is expertise with compliance.
The laws and regulations surrounding collecting and using consumer information are complex and frequently in flux; background screening organizations stay abreast of the latest federal, state, and local requirements to help guide their clients with compliance. Employers should always review their background screening program with their own legal counsel who have expertise in these laws.
It is critical for employers who use background screening companies to understand their own responsibilities under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Employers are responsible for adhering to and complying with this Act. In practice, this means carefully following the law in all respects.
What is the FCRA?
The FCRA is legislation passed by the federal government in 1970 that was designed to protect consumer information.
The scope of the law has evolved throughout the years to include protecting personal data and the scope of reporting adverse information on a consumer. At its heart, the FCRA is a consumer protection law and was enacted to promote the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information on consumers.
Partnering with a background check provider the is accredited under the Professional Background Screeners Associated (PBSA) helps ensure that the collection, storage, and disposal of personal data is done in accordance with the law. As an employer who is collecting and using personal information on job candidates, you too, have a number of responsibilities under the law.
What are Employer Compliance Responsibilities?
FCRA compliance at the employer level includes attention to the following:
Permissible Purpose: The FCRA permits employers to use third-party background screening companies to perform background checks for certain permissible purposes, including to conduct screenings on candidates or employees. If an employer is conducting screening for employment purposes, they must follow the provisions within the FCRA in order to do so.
Disclosure and Consent: Candidates or employees must be provided written disclosure of the intent to conduct a background check. This disclosure must be separate from all other documents and be presented on its own. In addition, candidates must provide their signed consent for the background check.
Results: Once the background check is complete, but before any adverse hiring decisions are made, the candidate must be shown the results of the check and be given the opportunity to dispute any incorrect or incomplete results on the report. In addition, candidates must provide their signed consent for the background check.
EEOC Guidance: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has guidelines in place to protect against discrimination. Employers should consider certain factors, including but not limited to The nature and gravity of the offense or conduct;
The time that has passed since the offense, conduct, and/or completion of the sentence; and.
The nature of the job held or sought.
Federal or state consumer reporting and ban the box laws must also be considered.
Considering each case on an individual basis and factoring in other information such as time, overall character, and rehabilitation efforts will help employers to put past criminal behavior into context. In addition, having well-defined, position-specific hire/no hire matrices in place for your organization will help you apply standards consistently, fairly, and in accordance with EEOC regulations.
2-Step Adverse Action Procedures: In the event that something is reported in a background screening report that may have an adverse effect on the candidate, such as precludes them from being hired, the FCRA mandates a 2-step adverse action process. First, the employer must provide a written pre-adverse action notification, along with a copy of the consumer report and The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.” The employer must allow for a reasonable time, generally, a minimum of at least 5 business days (some jurisdictions require a longer period of time) that gives the candidate the chance to explain, dispute or correct findings before any hiring decision is final. Second, once an adverse hiring decision is final, candidates must be given a written adverse employment decision notice.
Professional background screening companies like Accurate have an important role to play in FCRA compliance. Our advanced software and solutions give employers, and candidates access to forms and legal notices, provide electronic disclosure and authorizations, and distribute pre-adverse and adverse action notices on behalf of our clients. Compliance is much easier with the help of a trusted background screening partner.
What Are the Consequences of FCRA Violations?
As an employer using background checks to help you build a safe workforce, you need to be vigilant about FCRA compliance and be especially cognizant of the following common pitfalls:
Impermissible purposes. You must have a legally permissible purpose to request a background check.
Disclosure errors. If you are running background screening on a consumer, you must notify them beforehand, and the disclosure cannot be in the fine print or mixed up with any other papers. One obvious, concise, stand-alone disclosure notice is required. Employers also must be mindful not to include any additional language that may be deemed to be extraneous.
Missing consent. Individuals must give their consent, via handwritten or digital signature, in order to procure a background screening report.
Failure to share. If you think you are going to make an adverse hiring decision based on information gleaned from a background screening report, you are required to notify the information with the candidate and inform them of their rights to dispute incorrect or incomplete information. They need to be given the name of the background screening company and instructions how to dispute any information. Once your adverse decision is final, you must notify the candidate of your decision.
Be Smart
Take care to choose a company that takes FCRA compliance seriously, such as Accurate, to perform all of your background checks. We have the expertise and the tools to help keep you compliant from start to finish. Our policies and procedures give you the support and guidance you need to have peace of mind.
For more information on FCRA compliance, check out our on-demand webinar: Disclosures, Authorizations and Adverse Action (FCRA).
