CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly 600 human resources professionals revealed how they use background checks to make hiring decisions in EmployeeScreenIQ’s fifth annual survey of U.S. based employers. The new report examines how companies manage employment screening, and their practices concerning Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) guidance.
“The Unvarnished Truth: 2014 Top Trends in Employment Background Checks” confirms that employers continue to rely on background checks to protect themselves, their workforces and their customers. The 26-page report examines the impact of criminal records on hiring and the practice of asking candidates for self-disclosure.
Human resources professionals representing a wide range of U.S. organizations completed the survey in late 2013/early 2014. The results are available for complimentary download here.
Among the findings:
- Almost half of employers (45%) say that job candidates with criminal records are not hired due to their indiscretions a mere 5% of the time or less. This supports employers’ long-standing assertions that they look beyond an applicant’s criminal past, and qualifications, references and interviewing skills also greatly influence hiring decisions.
- A majority of respondents continue to ask candidates to self-disclose criminal convictions on job applications despite the EEOC recommendation against the practice and outright “ban the box” legislation. Just 8 percent of employers say candidates are automatically disqualified when they disclose a criminal record prior to a background check.
- Thirty-eight percent of employers search online media for information about their candidates, but the majority say they forego this practice. Eighty percent of those who do check turn to LinkedIn, followed by search engines (63%) and Facebook (48%).
- Half of all respondents reject 90% or more of their candidates when lies are discovered on their resumes. The most egregious lie? A claim to have earned a degree not actually earned.
- Contrary to popular wisdom, only 14% of employers say they check the credit histories of all new hires. A whopping 57% do not use credit reports as part of their hiring process.
“The EmployeeScreenIQ trends survey has become the benchmark many employers use to evaluate their background screening policies and practices,” says Nick Fishman, chief marketing officer of EmployeeScreenIQ. “This year's survey provides a unique cross-section of opinions and insights and is a must-read for HR professionals who want to see what their industry peers are doing.”
About EmployeeScreenIQ
EmployeeScreenIQ helps employers make smart hiring decisions. We do this through a comprehensive suite of employment background screening services including the industry’s most thorough and accurate criminal background checks, resume verification services and substance abuse screening. EmployeeScreenIQ is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), a distinction earned by less than two percent of all employment screening companies. For more information, visit http://www.EmployeeScreen.com.
