| Post 9/11 the world as we knew it changed | | | | |
| forever. With the ever-present threat of | | | | * Following the terrorist acts of September |
| terrorist attacks, the world has become | | | | 11, 2001, Federal Law and in some cases the |
| filled with distrust and suspicion. With the | | | | State Laws have made background checks |
| increased emphasis on security issues today, | | | | mandatory for certain kinds of employment in |
| it has become commonplace in almost all | | | | order to enforce tougher and more thorough |
| sectors, for companies and employers to take | | | | screenings of new job applicants and even |
| extra caution by running employment | | | | current employees. |
| background checks into the credentials and | | | | |
| records of potential employees. Background | | | | * On the heels of major corporate scandals |
| checks are not limited to just new | | | | such as Enron, even top management and CEOS |
| applicants; even current employees may | | | | of corporations are no longer exempt from |
| undergo background screening to help | | | | scrutiny and also subject to screening and |
| employers in their decision making such as | | | | checks into their background. |
| the promotion of employees. | | | | |
| | | | * In professions dealing with children, the |
| While companies cannot be blamed for being | | | | rise in incidents such as child kidnapping |
| extra vigilant in the face of such threat, | | | | and child abuse have necessitated criminal |
| employees are generally not comfortable with | | | | background checks of applicants in order to |
| the idea of having some stranger run a | | | | protect the innocent children from such |
| personal background check. It can feel very | | | | predators. Some laws also facilitate this |
| intrusive when employers dig out episodes | | | | screening, such as the Federal Law of |
| from the employees' past, which should have | | | | National Child Protection Act, which |
| no bearing or relevance to their | | | | authorizes state officials to access the |
| qualification and suitability for the job at | | | | FBI's National Crime Information Center |
| hand. If you are a potential candidate faced | | | | (NCIC) database to perform background checks |
| with a similar situation, you have every | | | | on job applicants. The same is true of |
| right to question the necessity of such | | | | professions dealing with elderly or disabled |
| personal background checks, and to have a say | | | | persons. |
| about what information can be covered in the | | | | |
| background report and what cannot. Of course, | | | | * In certain sectors, the use of falsified |
| if you have not broken any law or have any | | | | documents to get a job is on the rise. |
| blemish on your record, you have nothing to | | | | According to estimates, some 30% to 40% of |
| fear from these routine background | | | | the applicants' resumes are forged in some |
| screenings. | | | | way or another. In such cases, background |
| | | | checks can help weed out the unqualified from |
| Below are further reasons why there is a | | | | the qualified candidates. |
| marked rise in the use of background checks: | | | | |