6 Questions When Choosing a Background Check Company
A Google search of the term “professional background check company ” generates millions of listings. The challenge is discerning between reliable companies with a solid track record and less professional operations making exaggerated claims. Here are six helpful questions to help you with the evaluation process.
1. Where are your call centers located and who is answering the phones? Ideally, the call centers are located in the United States and the people answering the phones are knowledgeable about the products or services they’re selling. They’re also well informed to answer your questions and meet your various needs. Offshore call centers may not meet the same standards.
2. Will you guide me through the process to make sure I’m following the applicable laws and regulations including the FCRA? The professional background screening company you choose must know and be in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations including the FCRA. This will ensure that you (and your employer) are on in full compliance with the laws. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a U.S. Federal Government legislation enacted to promote the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information contained in the files of consumer reporting agencies.
3. How many consent forms do you use? All new hires need to sign two different forms. One is an authorization form and the other is a notification of disclosure. Both of these are standard tools and provided to you by the background screening company. If the company has more or less forms than these two required forms, be wary and get more information about how any forms are being used.
4. What is the process that you use to gather the information for the report? The answer to this will depend on the type of report you’ve requested. This question is an opportunity for you to learn more about their process for completing the background check.
5. What’s the cost? The answer to this question will also heavily depend on the type of report that you’ve requested.
6. What is the turnaround time? A completed background check should be returned on average within 1-3 days. There are some aspects of a report that may require a lengthier turnaround time such as verification of employment and verification of the completion of various degree programs or technical training. It’s also helpful to remember that background check companies depend on the cooperation of other organizations to provide them information in a timely manner. Experienced companies are careful about not making guarantees on the completion timeline. They follow a protocol, and they keep the company abreast of various updates.
For more information about AIS Background Checks, give us a call at 1-800-295-7109 or contact us.
