Employee Screening Advice: Avoid “Free” Criminal Record Searches
As it has been said, nothing in the world is free. A lot of buzz has been circling lately about new websites that allow the public to check criminal records nationally. These sites claim that they perform a complete criminal check.
Read the fine print. These free sponsored criminal background checks are not meant to replace a professional criminal background check. Furthermore, using services like these in the employee screening process of any company is not recommended. In fact, the disclaimer at the bottom of each of these services states that they are not meant to be used for actually determining a person’s eligibility for employment. What if the person gave a fake name? A free service won’t be able to reveal an alias and cannot be trusted when their search results come up perfectly clean.
There are no complete national criminal databases. Many counties and states don’t have their records online. It is impossible to cover all areas in a criminal background search with just a simple click. That is why employment background check providers spend time researching records from a variety of local, county, state and federal authorities when compiling complete criminal record for a potential employee.
So while it might be fun to input your own name into a free criminal search, free criminal record searches should never be used in the employee screening process. Always consult a professional employment background check company for all employee screening needs.
Popularity: 31% [?]