Canadian HR Reporter

IN FOCUS BACKGROUND SCREENING By Mark Sward I t's true, background screening is complex. Deciding which type of check to run to make sure a candidate is the right one can seem like a daunting task. However, background screening is a vital step to ensure the right people are in the right roles. From employment verifi ca- tion to criminal record checks, it's a proactive way to add a layer of risk mitigation into a company's hiring process. Why is it important? Background screening protects an organization's property, assets, reputation, brand and ultimately its biggest asset, its employees. It allows employers to gain a deeper insight into exactly who is looking to join their team. Many job applications contain inaccurate information, with some containing outright lies about experience, job titles, salaries, education, the eligibility to work in a particu- lar country and the ability to perform the basic functions of the job. Failing to catch these and other problems with a candidate can be costly. Additionally, the workforce is changing in Canada. To- day's workers may be freelance, temporary, part-time or full-time. Over the last 50 years, the economy has gone from depending on relatively stable employment in the public or private sector to an increased reliance on temporary or contracted labour. With ever-increasing numbers of contingent workers en- tering the labour market, and the potential for those work- ers to have less commitment or loyalty to a single company or industry, it's important to put an eff ective, robust pro- gram in place to background screen them. Types of screening Each organization requires a tailored solution for its hiring process to allow it to mitigate business risks and hire with confi dence. ere are many types of background screening checks, from reviews of government watch lists to profes- sional sanctions searches to social media screening. Each one brings a diff erent risk-mitigation value to the screening program, while raising unique compliance considerations. Some of the common background screening checks are: • Criminal checks: ese are the most widely used back- ground screening tool in Canada, but they are among the most complex and misunderstood. ere are three dis- tinct criminal searches that bring information and value to the screening process: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) National Repository of Criminal Records (often just called a "criminal record check"), local police infor- mation and vulnerable sector verifi cation. Not every can- didate should be screened using all three searches. Most employers in Canada fi nd that a search of the National Repository is suffi cient to mitigate their risk. • Employment credit checks: A credit check is used to determine if a candidate is fi nancially responsible and to verify identifi cation information. It is not designed to de- termine debt service ratio, nor will it aff ect a candidate's credit score. Financial credit checks should only be done if they are appropriate for the specifi c position, but using identifying information from a credit fi le to corroborate a candidate's identity is a common and useful practice in Canada. • Reference checks: Reference checks are a long- standing technique for screening job candidates. Conduct- ing 360-degree employee reference checks — including a former supervisor, co-worker and direct report — enables employers to truly gain an understanding of a candidate's job performance, strengths, weaknesses and interactions with and perception by others. Using a third-party pro- vider is wise as experienced verifi cations specialists will know what red fl ags to look for and are better-equipped to spot a bad reference. • Resumé verifi cations: In a competitive job market, some candidates will do anything they can to get potential em- ployees to notice their resumés. Unfortunately, some of the content may be questionable. Education and employment verifi cation services contact school registrars and human resources or payroll departments with past employers to make sure a candidate's information is factual and free of embellishment or exaggeration. • Social media checks: Social media screening is very valu- able to recruiters, hiring managers and employers, and is almost a refl ex in an era of ubiquitous social media mem- bership and activity. It humanizes candidates and makes them more than just words on a resumé. Vetting social media profi les can provide unique insight into a candi- date and may reveal potentially unlawful, violent, racist, DEFINE > pg. 20 POLICY The importance of a The importance of a The importance of a POLICY The importance of a POLICY The importance of a POLICY The importance of a POLICY A background screening policy is a living document that needs to be continually reviewed as laws, regulatory guidance and company needs change Credit: fotogestoeber (Shutterstock)

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