Sample Of Informed Consent Form - Delaware County: Fill & Download for Free

Pre-employment background checks are typically performed before a person is hired. The main aim of such checks is to verify the information provided by job applicants. Existing employees may also be subjected to background check regularly (i.e., semi- annually or annually). Such checks are meant to ensure a secure and safe working environment.The turnaround time for a typical pre-employment background check is three days to a week. The timeline varies based on several factors that may or may not be within an employer’s control. For instance, checks being conducted by institutions such as the FBI usually take a month or less. There are some instant employment background checks available in the US today; however, it takes some time to get comprehensive information spanning for years. Instant checks are also prone to errors. Reputable agencies such as the FBI advise employers to wait a longer period to get in-depth and accurate reports.Why do background checks take longer than necessaryIncomplete or inaccurate request formsMost pre-employment background checks take longer than necessary because they are done using incomplete or inaccurate check request forms. Any background check done based on wrong information will take longer given the back-and-forth process of getting the right information. The employer must ensure background check request forms are completed accurately, and all other requirements are met to save time and ensure the correct information is acquired initially.Lack of necessary authorizationFor an employment background check to be conducted in the US, the subject – job applicant or employee must give authorization by signing a release form. This is a federal law requirement that must be met. Employers must also notify applicants formally via a letter that a background check will take place. Individuals who are subject to illegal background checks (checks done without consenting) can take legal action against employers or other parties that initiate those background checks.Delays in record checkingReputable agencies like the FBI may work faster when conducting background checks because they already have information about people and don’t rely on the information provided by job applicants. Also, some institutions (schools and employers) may not have computerized records of all past students and employees. What’s more, there is no time limit for getting background check information from these institutions as is the case with state and government departments.Verification delaysThere are no guarantees that information collected initially during background checks will be accurate. Honest mistakes like confusion over names can delay background checks. To avoid this, searches usually take place, including common variants of different names. For instance, the name Steven and Stephen can be used to search for records of an applicant called Steve, which increases the time it takes to complete a background check. Once this is done, the final records must also be verified to ensure they belong to the right person.The need to run multiple checksIn most cases, multiple background checks must be done on a subject to collect enough information. For instance, a criminal background check may need to be done alongside a license and education check to get comprehensive information about a person. The government agency or background check company may also be required to source information from multiple databases or sources.Jurisdictional issuesIf the subject of the background check (i.e., job applicant) has lived or worked outside the US, the process is bound to take longer as such checks require international cooperation (between governments, private and public institutions) to complete. Legal challenges also tend to arise when gathering personal information from institutions across borders.Background history requests for information held outside the US may require specific releases among other documentation to be processed. International bodies such as law enforcement, non-US courts, and other government institutions which keep criminal records also tend to be backlogged, increasing the time it takes for them to respond to background information requests.Additional information requestsIt can be hard for agencies or institutions conducting checks to contact former educational institutions or employers. In such cases, job applicants must provide additional information to help verify information in their applications or resumes. Such a request will take time. If the applicant doesn’t have the required documentation available immediately, the background check process will take even more time.Court backlogsThis only applies to criminal background checks which must be prepared using information obtained from courts which tend to be backlogged.Special requestsPre-employment background checks that require drug testing may take longer since samples must be collected and analyzed in the lab before results are acquired.Type of checks, searches, and verificationsThe time it takes to do a background check will also vary depending on the checks and searches that must be done to complete a check.Identity checks are almost instant; however, some may take a few days. Verifying identity based on a passport, driver’s license, social security number, or any other type of identification document can be done instantly. However, most employers won’t stop at simple checks.After confirming identity, employers may want to conduct a credit check which can take one or two days to complete. Credit checks can take longer if an employer wants information from more than one credit reference bureau because different bureaus may have different credit information about the same person.Background checks also involve employment verifications. Employers want to know if you really worked for the companies listed in your job history. To ascertain this, they must engage human resource departments of past employers to verify if you worked there, how long you worked, what your responsibilities were as well as other information that may be present in your CV. Employment verifications can take days to weeks depending on your employment history as well as the willingness of past employers to share information.Pre-employment background checks also involve academic verifications. Employers must confirm the academic accomplishments of candidates before employing them. To do this, they must contact universities, schools, and other learning institutions listed in an applicant’s CV. This process can take a day to weeks, even longer if the learning institutions are on holiday or understaffed. Some learning institutions may also ask for release forms before sharing academic information of past students.The professional qualifications of candidates must also be verified in pre-employment background checks. The verification process involves contacting trade organizations, certification, and licensing bodies. Verifying professional qualifications is easy if a candidate provides a registration number or other forms of unique identification. If the professional qualification in question is rare with no online database, the background check will take longer.Most pre-employment background checks also involve criminal checks which cover global watch list checks to confirm applicants aren’t known or wanted criminals facing regulatory sanctions. Watch list checks can take a day or two if the right authorities are involved.If the check in question has an online database, the process can be done instantly. Examples of checks that can be done instantly in the US include Social Security Number verification, state court criminal record checks, and sex offender checks. Direct court searches in the US take 2 to 4 business days. However, it can take longer if the county court in question doesn’t use online databases. In such cases, records are obtained by visiting the courthouse in person, which takes more time.Most states in the US have instant criminal databases online. When conducting checks from the over 46 States which have online criminal databases, checks can be completed in minutes. For States like Massachusetts, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Delaware which don’t use online databases, records can take 2 to 4 days to obtain.Since the US doesn’t have a national criminal database accessible to the public, national background checks get records from the Federal District Court and records obtained from multiple states. Records from the Federal District Court include crimes enforced as well as prosecuted by the DEA, FBI, and ATF among other government agencies. Federal records are available instantly through District Courts.