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REAL Background Checks from ESR —The ESR Advantage

Pre-employment Screening Comparison sheet
by Employment Screening Resources (ESR)

Some employers make the mistake of believing that all background screening is done the same way, so that selection ends up depending upon price. Unfortunately, employers who make the decision based upon price can find out the hard way that they did not get what they thought they were paying for. That is because there are ways for background firms to cut costs that leave employers vulnerable. For example, some firms use "at-home" operators or send confidential data to India for processing in order to save money resulting in data privacy and quality being put at substantial risk. Other firms cut corners by restricting how far back they conduct criminal searches. Other firms save money by hiring the cheapest possible labor to process crucial information, whereas ESR has every staff member undergo a rigorous 30 hour online educational course and weekly training sessions.

ESR offers the following chart to help employers identify quality background firms offering REAL Background Checks and to avoid firms offering a "knock-off service" where the employer is not receiving the professional services they should be getting. Employers need to be aware of the difference between firms that are mere data vendors and firms that offer professional services.

DANGER: Employer should very carefully consider the dangers of using a screening firm that utilizes at home operators for domestic verifications or sends your data off-shore for processing. Such a practice puts the employer at risk. Do you want your job applicant's personal and private information spread out in living rooms, kitchen tables and dorms across America, or available to off-shore operator beyond the reach of US privacy laws, not to mention the lack of quality control and standards. Employers are strongly advised to avoid the use of screening firms who are willing to sacrifice quality and privacy just to increase their profits at your expense.

NOTE: ESR does NOT send U. S. applicant information outside of the U.S. for processing. Once data leaves the U.S., the data is beyond the reach of U.S. privacy laws and there is no meaningful privacy protections. ESR believes that firms that send data outside the U.S. put applicants and employers at great risk, for no other reason then to make a little more money. In some countries, it is a well known fact that U.S. identities are stolen and used for identity theft. As a practical matter, someone in the U.S. has no ability to hire a lawyer in a foreign country to pursue legal action or contact a foreign police authority to get any action taken. The only exception is where ESR is asked to perform an international verification and the information resides outside of the U.S. Even in that situation, ESR goes to great length to protect applicant data. by going directly to the school or employer. If it is necessary to have a researcher do research in a foreign country, ESR only releases the minimum information absolutely necessary. The countries where a researcher may be needed is identified as a Red Zone Country by ESR.

ESR strongly advises all employers to ask a screening firm if they send data outside of the U.S. and to seriously consider the dangers to their hiring processes and to their applicants.

» For an article by ESR on How to Select a Background Screening Firm

» For a sample Request for Proposal (RFP) to a screening firm

» Sample 22 question yearly due diligence audit for a background firm

» For sample ESR testimonials

» For sample ESR case studies

Questions to Ask a Pre-Employment Screening Firm:

Question	ESR	Vendor 1	Vendor 2
1. Does your firm have legal staff and safe hiring help desk with expertise on pre-employment screening and the FCRA?	YES
2. Do you provide written documentation and resources on safe hiring, due diligence and legal compliance issues?	YES
3. Does your firm have state of the art web-based system that requires NO SOFTWARE and provides state of the art security and data privacy protection?	YES
4. Is exact information about your applicants available on the web 24/7, including real time status complete with notes?	YES
5. Does your system track the real-time status of every search so that nothing falls through the cracks?	YES
6. Can your firm archive all records so an employer can have paperless systems?	YES
7. Does your firm operate on a platform that is HR-XML certified and can be integrated seamlessly into HRIS and ATS systems?	YES
8. Can you provide control features so an employer can set-up multiple sub-accounts, so that the Administrator can view all accounts, but each sub-account can only view their own reports?	YES
9. Is all work done in the USA to protect privacy and control quality-i.e., nothing sent offshore to India or other "cheaper places" that puts data privacy and quality control at risk?	YES
10. Are all employment and education checks conducted by professionals in a controlled, call center type environment, so that nothing is sent to cheaper at-home workers, where data privacy and the quality of work is at risk	YES
11. Are all employees with your background firm subject to an intensive training when they are hired, and attend documented training weekly	YES
12. For employment verifications, are anti-fraud procedures in place, such as verifications of all past employer phone numbers instead of relying upon an applicant supplied number?	YES
13. For Education verifications, are step taken to verify if a college or university is accredited and to watch out for Diploma Mills?	YES
14. Do you have a policy of NO Set-up fee/no monthly obligations? (Credit reports do require an on-site inspection and a third party fee to an agency/-Small Business Division does require a onetime set-up fee)	YES
15. Do you offer 24/7 ordering online that gives an employer total control over the ordering process and speeds up turnaround time?	YES
16. Do you offer flexible options to receive reports (fax, e-mail, or on-line) ?	YES
17. Are your reports easy to read, with important information summarized at the top for ease of use?	YES
18. Are criminal searches conducted using the most accurate means which normally means onsite (no cheap database substitutes)?	YES
19. Do you search for both felonies and misdemeanors when available ?	YES
20. When a criminal hit is reported, does knowledgeable person in your firm report the findings (as opposed to having the information entered by some unknown court researcher)?	YES
21. When there is a criminal hit, are you proactive in calling the client to advise them there is a potential problem?	YES
22. Does your firm take measures to ensure that ALL legal and relevant criminal records are searched , as opposed to just going back "seven" years, which can leave an employer exposed?	YES
23. Do you accurately describe the pros and cons of criminal databases, and ensure clients are informed that databases are research tools only and are subject to false negatives and false positives?	YES
24. If a client orders a "multi-jurisdictional" database, do you re-verify any criminal "hit" at the courthouse for maximum accuracy, instead of relying on merely notifying the applicant of a potential hit.	YES
25. Do you provide clients with all necessary FCRA forms and procedures?	YES
26. Do you notify your clients of changes in the FCRA and other applicable laws?	YES
27. Is a member of your firm a nationally recognized writer and speaker on safe hiring and the FCRA?	YES
28. Does the President of your firm have an open door policy for any customer issues or questions?	YES
29. Is your average turnaround time 72 hours less?	YES
30. If there is a delay for reasons that are out of your control, do you notify us online with in-depth notes and the ETA?	YES
31. Does your firm have large clients with nationally recognized names?	YES
32. Do you partner with leading web sites and HR service providers?	YES
33. Regarding customer service, will there be someone assigned to our account and familiar with our needs?	YES
34. Does your firm provide Free training programs?	YES
35. Do you offer ordering options such as customized packages or individual searches and competitive pricing?	YES
36. Do you provide a guide or interactive US map showing the significant rules for all 50 states when it comes to screening?	YES
37. Has your firm published a definitive book on background checks and safe hiring?	YES
38. Does your firm have extensive international capabilities?	YES
39. Is your firm "Safe Harbor" certified to perform screenings in the EU	YES
40. Are you a member of the background screening trade association - National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) - and does your firm actively participate and support professionalism in the screening industry?	YES