More and more businesses are checking the backgrounds of prospective employees before they offer them a job. This is done for a variety of reasons and it has proven to help businesses hire more trustworthy people while steering clear of those that have a background that is not ideal for the line of work done by the business. Each business that does use background checks should create their own background check policy. When you create a background check policy and you enforce it, you ensure that all of your employment applicants are subject to the same rules, treatments, and verification of identity. A background check policy supports the integrity of the business as well as ensuring that all of the employees are top of the line.

Creating a Background Check Policy

Creating a background check policy is not difficult. Enforcing the background check policy is usually more difficult than creating it. A policy can start with a statement of the rules or the way that background checks are handled and then this is followed by all current and prospective employees. A background check policy could simply read:

Upon an employees acceptance of an offer for employment, (insert company name here), may at its discretion, conduct a background check. An employment background check may provide information related to prior employment, professional licensure, personal or professional references, certification of education, professional certifications, driving record, and criminal background. As deemed appropriate by (insert company name here) further background checks may be conduced. The employment of any employee may be subject to the satisfactory findings of one or more completed background checks.

This is a simple background check policy that sets for the expectation that the employee will pass, to the satisfaction of the company, a background check. This also serves to let the employee know that their background will be checked into. You can use this background check policy in conjunction with a background check authorization form, that the prospective employee will sign and date, giving you permission to look into their background including their criminal history. If an employee will not sign the authorization form, you can bet that they are not someone that you want working for you.

A background check policy such as this is really simple to use. You’ll just give this policy, in written form, to new employees and have them sign it to show that they understand the policy. Most employees will not even look twice at it, as background check policies are becoming more and more common in all lines of work.