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6 Essential Background Checks that Organisations Should Conduct for New Hires

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6 Essential background checks

6 Essential Background Checks that Organisations Should Conduct for New Hires

Employers’ most valuable assets are their employees, and finding new employees has become a daily task for businesses that want to do well. For example, how hard is it to find the best clothing store in town with the latest styles? Similarly, locating potential candidates with excellent technological knowledge from the LinkedIn pool is difficult. Employers always conduct background checks on applicants to avoid problems.

Background checks have been less emphasized before hiring someone, even though not doing them right can have more serious effects. Today, every employer wants to do a background or pre-employment background verification on the candidate, ensuring the potential employee is not a fraud and is clean in all areas. A background check entails more than knowing one’s previous or current employment history.

Table of Contents

What is a background check?

A background check involves researching a candidate’s past before hiring. It offers them a clear understanding of the candidate’s nature and abilities and assures them that the candidate is whom they claim to be. It also helps the candidate and the employer feel like they know each other and can trust each other. People always read other people’s reviews before purchasing a product, movie, or restaurant to ensure quality and stability. Similarly, keeping an eye on employment history, educational qualifications, and criminal and financial pasts is usually beneficial to the organization.

Even though employees give full information and references, it is the hiring team’s job to check carefully before hiring. The adoption of digitalization in public data in India, including voter IDs, driver’s licenses, PAN cards, police records, and court records, helped employees do the screening quickly. When so much information is available online for free or for a fee, there is a fine line between what you can do and what you cannot. Both the employer and the employee may become perplexed.

You want to be as thorough and careful as possible when hiring and selecting from a group of potential applicants. Connecting with the right partner that can conduct an employment background check using modern tools is vital and will help you find the right employee.

6 vital background checks you must conduct -

Check Candidate’s History

Employers do reference checks to avoid hiring someone who could be a burden or a threat to the company. According to an AuthBridge survey, one in every six job seekers lies on their résumé. A job candidate’s work history, education, medical history, driving record, and criminal record are all part of a background check. Authenticating candidates’ social media profiles has also become a reliable screening method. However, United Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) introduced specific rules for background checks, including-

  • The background check process should be transparent to the candidate in writing. This document is distinct from the job application.
  • The applicant must give written permission for the background check.
  • The company must clarify in its written policy if pre-employment screening is required for hiring.
  • Employees should know about background checks on their reputation, history, or character.

Checking Criminal Records

Criminal background checks are vital for every employer to utilize background screening techniques, but they are also one of the most complicated processes. Severe and minor crimes are the two basic types considered when doing a criminal record check. As an employer, you must set the rules for your business and draw the line regarding hiring and screening employees.

A person’s criminal background affects not just the safety of a company but also their overall performance and duty towards the company if hired. For instance, when you look for a stock manager to manage the inventory and funds, check to see if the person has ever been charged with theft or fraud. If you hire the candidate without conducting a criminal background check, your company will suffer.

Check Credit Score

A credit or CIBIL score is considered when an individual looks forward to applying for a credit card or loan. Credit background screening assists in validating a person’s credit-to-debt ratio record. Check the credit history of people who work in several banking jobs where fraud and theft are easy to commit.

Furthermore, suppose the company rejects a candidate’s profile based on a credit report. In that case, the candidate has the full right to present the express rationale and contact information for the credit reporting. In this way, if there is misinformation, there is a high chance of setting things right and getting your job back.

MVR Reports

If an employer is looking for a candidate to drive vehicles, checking the MVR report is vital. The MVR (Motor Vehicle Report) presents complete information if the employee has a valid license and drives safely. Furthermore, employers are subject to laws. One should use the rules of the Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for MVR screening.

What information does an MVR check reveal?

  • Driving record
  • Licensing, license class, and license status are all necessary.
  • License suspensions, revocations, and cancellations in the past
  • Vehicle offenses
  • Report on the Accident
  • Convictions for DUI
  • Citations for traffic violations
  • Unpaid summons and lapsed insurance

Personal Background

There are over 200 million court records in India, and businesses have developed their own AI and ML-powered search algorithms. The technology offers accurate results, leaving no doubts in the minds of employers.

Individuals can screen themselves to see what employers or financial professionals see when they perform a background check. This helps them find out where they have worked and if their name is in any public database of lawsuits, both civil and criminal.

Background checks are an excellent method to catch any mistakes and not miss a job, loan, or opportunity to establish a business.

Professional License and Educational Background Check

Any company that wants to hire someone for a job that needs a certain level of education or a license should check the candidate’s license and education. Some work profiles, including teaching, IT, accounting, or others, require a special degree or certification. Many candidates may forge details about their educational qualifications to get the job.

An employer will use this method to compare the information on the resume with the information on the check. Partnering services have tools that can make the process of research more convenient. Candidates may overstate their degree, breadth of experience, work duties, or even their real job title in their CV and cover letter, so double-check the information they have provided.

5 steps to Perform Employment Background Check

Conducting a pre-screening of candidates benefits the company’s reputation, but how? It is difficult to obtain information that aids in determining staff capability and eliminating the need to hire additional staff. Also, before you do the background check of the candidate, here are 5 steps to consider-

  • Seek Permission
  • Ensure you follow the legal aspect of the background check
  • Seek References
  • Performing Drug Test
  • Using Outsourcing Agency Service

Conclusion

Though conducting background checks is difficult, you have a variety of methods to assess the quality of the candidate. A background check helps keep the company’s reputation in good shape and keeps employees from leaving. It aids in raising staff productivity and improving recruiters’ hiring selections. It is your responsibility to stay safe rather than be sorry afterward. If you are using a background check partner, MIMOIQ is the leading company that will gather information using tools and offer you the report quickly.

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Blockchain: The Answer to an Efficient, Transparent Hiring Process?

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How can blockchain help with the transparent hiring processs

Blockchain: The Answer to an Efficient, Transparent Hiring Process?

Blockchain technology has recently changed how employers and employment agencies find, screen, and verify job candidates. The recruitment process has transformed massively, helping recruiters find the right candidate. Global MNCs are increasingly turning to decentralized ledgers because blockchain provides security for safeguarding data integrity, like job histories or academic credentials. In September 2021, Block data research found that 65 of the top 100 publicly traded companies actively worked on blockchain solutions.

This constant change shows that modern hiring methods have improved over time, even though resume screening has mostly stayed the same. Back then, LinkedIn led the pack as a platform for employment, making life easier for job searchers and employers by hiring six applications per minute. Now, several comparatively modern technologies—like cryptocurrency and blockchain—show promise for employment.

Although there is technology adoption, the overall hiring process is still complex. It’s a big bet that blockchain will be the only way to solve all the problems with recruiting. Nevertheless, database processes and the automation of hiring processes are unavoidable.

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What makes blockchain an ideal option for recruitment?

Blockchain is a decentralized, open ledger configured to record anything of value. It is a public record of economic transactions. To put it another way, it is used to keep accurate records.

Furthermore, you cannot alter the digital record, and it is impossible to steal, remove, or change data that has already been placed on the chain. The hiring process will be simple when personal information like a person’s education, career history, and other work-related details are securely kept and exchanged on a real-time public digital ledger or blockchain.

A blockchain allows a recruiter to get information about a potential employee’s training and work history quickly, accurately, and in full. Therefore, it is impossible to accept a resume at face value, contact references directly, or spend excessive time poring through the LinkedIn profile of the candidate.

How can blockchain help with the transparent hiring process?

Many people may find it surprising that blockchain is becoming relevant in the recruiting market, thanks to its process for dealing with the collection of data.

 

But blockchain will continue to revolutionize the employment market.

Although blockchain is still in its infancy, it already has the potential to alter the way recruiters find prospects. Let us check how blockchain helps in recruitment-

Candidates cannot lie on their resume

People often lie on their resumes about their qualifications and jobs they’ve had in the past. According to reports, some candidates who applied for a job in the last six months would think about giving false information about themselves on their resumes to land their dream job.

With blockchain, however, this kind of data manipulation is no longer possible because people can no longer lie and add fake successes to their resumes, like title changes, raises, etc. Because blockchain technology is completely open and doesn’t have a single point of control, recruiters can store any information on their ledger, no matter how far away it is. Additionally, because of the decentralized nature of the blockchain, it will be difficult for anyone to provide fraudulent information because any call entry will be automatically rejected. Also, the information will show why the candidate was fired from their last job. Reasons could be anything from moonlighting to inaccuracies in work. Since employee moonlighting is a common thing, recruiters need to be confident.

Accuracy

Credentials of employers, candidates, and agencies verified using blockchain are trustworthy due to their accuracy in creating records. Every digital information is kept up-to-date and in the form of a permanent record of the candidate’s data.

Saves Valuable Time for Recruitment Professionals

Today, work is no longer confined to a single area. Because of this, it is now hard to find a candidate’s work history and confirm it. Blockchain, however, can speed up the verification process. From employment background checks to other details, the data will provide complete details and save valuable time. Imagine that you have used the conventional hiring procedure to find the ideal individual. You must now finish the recommendations. How will you carry that out?

A few alternatives are available, including contacting the candidate’s former employers or lecturers to complete the referral. But with blockchain, you will have to spend less time finding and talking to the previous employers of the person you want to hire. You can get the information quickly, thanks to blockchain technology.

Does Background check

Undoubtedly, a blockchain HR system can speed up background checks and referrals, giving recruiters instant access to candidates’ work and school history, etc.

All information, like past addresses, credentials, work history, visa status, and payment information, can be kept in a single blockchain application.

Using blockchain, it is possible to access the verified records and quickly and safely check all the information a candidate has sent in. A recruiter can hire the candidate because they are confident that the information provided by the candidate is as accurate as possible. Blockchain can also aid in multidimensional or skill matching when used with AI.

Complete the Contracting Procedure

Blockchain can help speed up the hiring process by making it easier to sign contracts with candidates. It can be done in seconds, just like running a background check. When you hire someone or bring them on board, you need to give them different login information, details, passcodes, security access codes, etc. As a recruiter, you might have to walk back and forth between different papers and departments to get and confirm the information you need to finish the profile of your new hire and put it into your system.

However, blockchain hiring technology can eliminate the need for all these employee contracting stages. Smart contracts on the blockchain make it possible to input employee information, obtain their payroll number, and access their employment contract quickly and precisely. On the other hand, paperwork always has an opportunity for error.

Complete Security

The distributed, decentralized design of the blockchain makes pre-employment screening more secure and reduces the chance of identity fraud. The distributed ledger replicates and cryptographically secures the candidate’s verified credentials. The user is in charge throughout the process and decides exactly what information about themselves to share and with whom.

Recruitment through blockchain: How long will it stay?

Employment background checks are a vital part of recruitment, and with the blockchain enabling the process, things are quite handy. Blockchain recruitment is a new thing that will stay for a long time. Some recruiters are not big fans of blockchain recruitment technology. Some others even think recruiters may lose their jobs if businesses use blockchain for human resources.

When you are reluctant to try something new and allow indecision to guide your choice, you stunt development and lessen the likelihood of finding novel and innovative solutions. Indeed, blockchain has already impacted many sectors, including banking, insurance, real estate, and finance. Cryptocurrencies built on blockchain technology are already widely used in commerce. It is now getting into the recruitment zone and is bringing massive change.

Takeaway

Want to utilize blockchain in hiring to its fullest potential? Or do you wish to incorporate blockchain technology into your company? Using MIMOIQ’s service can help you with a background check on an employee and other things.

Using modern tools, MIMOIQ makes business recruitment simple by integrating cutting-edge and futuristic technologies like blockchain, AI, and face recognition into your company.

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What is Employee Moonlighting? How to check for Dual Employment and Employee Moonlighting?

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Employee Moonlightng

What is Employee Moonlighting? How to check for Dual Employment and Employee Moonlighting?

Recently, many top IT companies found that half the employee workforce is moonlighting (working for other companies simultaneously). Many got fired, prompting a stern reaction from companies. Dual employment, commonly referred to as “moonlighting,” involves working two or more jobs concurrently. Employees have been found doing a lot of work for two different companies at the same time. It puts the company’s data at risk and costs the company money. This increase in employee moonlighting is attributed to most workers remaining in a hybrid paradigm after the COVID pandemic and working from home most of the time.

Under the guise of working from home, moonlighting workers lead parallel lives. Employers will inevitably need to be re-verified utilizing cutting-edge authentication technologies.

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Understanding the Concept of Moonlighting

In America, working a second job and a normal 9-to-5 job gave rise to the phrase “moonlighting.” Some people began engaging in their passions in their spare time, while others began looking for part-time jobs. People often had two jobs at once and took advantage of working from home, especially in the IT sector. Employees of IT companies who moonlight are not subject to any laws. Plant employees are not allowed to hold dual employment under Indian labor rules.  Numerous employers include in their offer letters that an employee may not hold down two jobs at once or should refrain from doing so while employed. 

Employees should avoid moonlighting in such circumstances resulting in losing their jobs.

Laws of Moonlighting in India

It is acceptable to work numerous jobs in India without breaking the law. Although many businesses impose such restrictions in their employment agreements in addition to regulations against holding down other jobs, a person with a similar set of jobs may raise concerns about a breach of confidentiality. Moonlighting might be seen as cheating if an employee’s contract calls for non-compete and is quite common with most conventional employment contracts. Below is the brief about the laws of moonlighting in India-

According to Section 60 of the Factories Act of 1948, a worker cannot work simultaneously at two places of business. However, the definition of a worker in the Factories Act does not include an IT specialist or any employee performing administrative or managerial duties.

The Industrial Job (Standing Orders) Central Rules, 1946, state that a worker is not permitted to work against the industrial establishment’s interests or accept any side jobs that would endanger the employer’s interests.

Present Moonlighting Policies in India-

While many top companies are opposed to employee moonlighting, some support it. Let’s examine businesses that support moonlighting:

  • Swiggy now permits moonlighting under some restrictions.
  • Nova Benefits encourages moonlighting and allows employees to explore new opportunities and follow their passions or interests beyond work hours.
  • C P Gurnani, the CEO of Tech Mahindra, said he could think about permitting moonlighting. He agreed that employees should be able to accept overtime pay, but they should be upfront about it.

How to check Employee Moonlighting?

It can be difficult to track down dual work if you don’t know where to look. Employers can find out if their staff members are doing a second job or moonlighting in a few different methods. The most typical method is to check with the employee’s previous employers or have a background screening done on the suspect’s job history. Many firms forbid employees from holding down a second job.

Therefore, it is the most reliable method to determine if an employee is engaged in dual employment. Peeking at the employee’s pay stubs is another technique to verify. The pay stub for an employee should indicate which employers are paying them. Here are some suggestions on how to look out for-

Using AI-Powered Dual Employment Tool

There are AI-powered tools that companies can use to search for dual employment. It can help with end-to-end tech platforms ensuring an easy workforce and reduced data loss. Moreover, it will further help in reducing manual efforts and costs.

Through EPFO UAN

Using UAN for dual employment verification is a quick and easy way to find out about a current employee’s work history. This dual employment check method yields reliable results in the shortest time.

The tech-enabled procedure is precise and data-driven. Employees are eligible for Provident Fund and Employer’s Provident Fund benefits in any industry. Ex-employer information is collected using the UAN number, and verifications are opened and closed by the data. When you provide UAN numbers, the team checks to ensure the client has no other employment during their current tenure. If there is any dual employment, the case is flagged.

Screening the Financial Records

As an employer, you can check the financial records of the employees. Employees may receive revenue from another employment if paid more than they should be given their position or hours worked. It would help if you enlisted the aid of a company that performs employment background checks for this step. Research further if you have reason to believe your business simultaneously employs an employee at another job.

Check their Social Media Accounts

Many employees, especially those having LinkedIn accounts, usually post updates about their employment. You can check their updates to know if they are engaged in dual employment.

Doing Background Checks

When hiring any candidate for your company, it is essential to do a background check. It will help you know if the candidate has a history of doing any dual employment. Hire an agency that does employment background checks using different tools.

Benefits of Checking Dual Employment Moonlight by Employee

Examining employee moonlighting and dual employment has several advantages for the organization. You can prevent potential complications and problems by doing this. Employees might be unable to give their full attention to either job if they are doing two jobs, one of which is in a completely unrelated field. It can result in productivity and caliber.

Consider a situation where a worker has two occupations, one of which pays significantly more than the other. In that situation, a problem might develop. The worker might feel more loyalty to the position that pays more and less loyalty to the other. Problems with job satisfaction and turnover might result from this.

Additionally, you can prevent any legal problems by checking for Dual Employment and Employee Moonlighting with employment background checks. For illustration, imagine a worker with two jobs, one of which is in a distant state.

Other issues like tax problems, immigration, and data issues can arise. By proper check of dual employment can bring down these issues. Again, you can prevent these potential issues by checking Employee Moonlighting and Dual Employment.

Conclusion

The issue of employees moonlighting is delicate and complex for businesses to handle. The lack of clear legislation in this area makes it even more flexible to one’s interpretation. From the general population’s perspective, this is appropriate and fair. However, businesses or organizations don’t operate on the ideologies of good and wrong. There are laws, rules, and contracts to govern it. Which, if absent, can result in a chaotic, poorly managed setting.

By reducing these risks to a minimum, you can guarantee the smooth operation of your company. Working with background checks and pre-employment services will help you run your business smoothly by being aware of the law and taking precautions to look out for these behaviors. Use the right service to do the job perfectly and help you with background checks and dual employment threats.

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Top 10 Questions regarding ‘Criminal Record Checks’

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Top 10 Questions regarding ‘Criminal Record Checks’

There are a number of factors to consider before recruiting a new employee for your firm. While skills, experience, and attitude should always be taken into account, it’s also critical that you conduct a criminal background check on your possible new hire. A criminal records check is part of the thorough background investigation that takes place before an applicant is hired. It checks numerous records available in the public domain to uncover the candidate’s criminal past, if any.

About 52% of businesses claimed they run criminal background checks to ensure that careless hiring is avoided. Surprisingly, in some places of India, criminal record checks indicated a 75 percent failure rate of candidates.

Employers all over the world include criminal background check questions in their job applications to verify the applicants’ criminal records. During the employment process, a criminal background check of potential hires aids companies in assessing job candidates’ antecedents. 

Table of Contents

Here are a few questions you should know the answers to when conducting a Criminal Records Check :

Why is it necessary to run a criminal background check?

To provide a truly secure workplace devoid of criminal intent, a thorough criminal records check becomes vitally necessary. With a criminal background check, you can be sure you’re hiring people with a clean record. This also involves searching the Litigate database. A litigation database check determines whether a candidate’s name appears in any proprietary or public database, such as a civil lawsuit database, criminal databases, and/or regulatory compliance database. Both Indian and international databases can be searched to see if the candidate has any ties to organized crime or has been referenced in any legal proceedings. When a competent professional agency does not do a criminal records check, such offenses can cause irreparable damage to a company’s reputation. According to a study, discrepancies linked to criminal records and references accounted for 19.5 percent of all discrepancies in India in 2016. 

To whom should we run a criminal background check?

Every new employee should undergo a criminal background check to ensure that no criminals access your organization. A single inconsistency can have a negative influence on your workplace’s safety, motivation, and brand reputation. A criminal background check is required regardless of the hiring level! 

Are there any regulations governing the checking of criminal records?

In India, there is no law specifically dealing with criminal records or background checks. However, for conducting criminal records checks, the Indian Contract Act, Indian Penal Code, and Information Technology Acts of 2000 and 2005 are often used as benchmarks. Companies that fail to keep personal data obtained on employees confidential may face penalties under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act of 2005.

What databases can I use to look for criminal records?

Litigation-related information can also be found via the National Crime Records Bureau and the CBI’s Most Wanted Lists, in addition to district magistrate, state, and Supreme Court public records. The list of defaulters can be found in databases maintained by SEBI, RBI, the Registrar of Companies, and the Central Vigilance Committee’s list of corrupt officials.

How do I do a criminal background check?

It’s critical to seek advice from a reputable firm with access to indexed criminal records and litigation databases. It is critical to inform the candidate that a criminal records check will be conducted and secure his or her written consent before proceeding. In most cases, employers consult with background check companies to do thorough criminal background checks! 

What methods do background check businesses use to search for criminal records?

Companies that conduct background checks often scan a range of sources, including local, state, and federal databases, as needed. While there are numerous sources available, the ones chosen will be determined by the exact searches that your prospective employer has requested. 

 

One of the most prominent sources for criminal and offense history searches is state court records. While some municipal courts may make their documents searchable online, around 30% of courthouses require direct access in person. In order to assist in-person courthouse record searches in these jurisdictions, background check organizations execute real-time criminal records searches and maintain a network of court runners. As you might expect, such in-person searches take time, but they allow screening companies to get the most accurate and up-to-date information from the court. 

Is it possible to suspend an employee based on a criminal background check?

In India, if a government employee has spent 48 hours or more in police custody, he or she will be automatically suspended. Any offence, including dowry killing allegations, might lead to such detention. Disciplinary committees and policies are established by private companies. After evaluating each case, they can decide on a course of action.

What should you do if you come upon anything negative?

One of the most basic steps in recruiting the best individuals is to run a criminal background check. After a thorough investigation of the applicant’s background, a hiring decision should be made. Before making a hiring choice, it’s a good idea to offer the employee an opportunity to explain the negative finding.

How can the HR manager confirm that the criminal background check on the job application is accurate?

The greatest criminal background checks are those that are accurate, thorough, quick, and obtained legally. The inclusion of criminal background check questions in the job application is the first step in conducting a complete criminal record check.

 

The checks can take a long time, cost a lot of money, and necessitate a lot of diligence. For interstate and international hires, the problems multiply. The HR manager should not let any financial or time restrictions allow the criminal background records check process to be shortened. 

 

What are the rights of employees/applicants?

The criminal record check report received by the firm may be incomplete or erroneous due to the constraints inherent in the process. To protect the rights of employees/applicants, the law compels employers to give employees/applicants the option to present additional information to substantiate the report’s incompleteness or inaccuracy. 

 

Individuals should be given a copy of the report and given enough time to respond with the requested additional information in the interest of fairness. If the people fail to provide the required information within the specified time frame, or if the information provided is insufficiently persuasive, the company might begin an adverse action procedure while keeping the individual informed. Individuals will then need to seek the respective judicial authorities for dispute resolution if they have any further grievances. 

 

Is there a limit to how far back criminal record checks can go?

Employers can decide how far back they want the search to go, with seven years being the most popular option. Other options include ten years and “unlimited,” which looks for all reasonably available information. After the search is completed, the records that are shown in the report will be determined by how far back the search was conducted as well as any applicable legal constraints. Background check businesses can record criminal convictions indefinitely in most jurisdictions; however, certain states limit the reporting of convictions to seven years.

 

A number of factors are considered when determining whether a record is within the seven-year timeframe, including the date of conviction, release, or parole. Many screening businesses examine these similar variables, as well as periods of probation when deciding whether to publish a conviction record that can legally be reported indefinitely but the customer has requested a fixed (e.g., seven-year) time limit. 

 

In terms of non-conviction, most background check agencies are unable to report anything older than seven years (such as non-pending records of arrest, criminal case dismissals, etc.). Non-convictions, on the other hand, are not required to be reported in a few states.

Conclusion:

A criminal record check allows you to make an informed decision regarding a candidate’s appropriateness and fit for your organization. Even though a conviction does not automatically disqualify a candidate, you will be in the best position to determine whether their criminal history poses an unreasonable risk to your organization. 

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