The COVID-19 pandemic touched just about every aspect of our lives, including how we work. When COVID numbers started to steadily climb in spring of 2020, tens of millions of workers left the office to work from home.
Although many have since returned to the office, millions of Americans are still working from home and will continue to do so, as the pandemic changed the perception – perhaps forever – regarding working from home. According to a report from U.S. News & World Report, 23% or U.S. workers worked from home as of February 2020. While that number is down from a high of 35% in May 2020, it’s still way ahead of the 7% that worked remotely before the pandemic hit.
With the rise in the number of employees that are working remotely, it’s important to know if you should be performing a background check before hiring a remote worker. In our most recent blog, the background screening experts at Barada Associates discuss the importance of conducting pre-employment background checks on not just workers who report to the office, but on remote workers as well.
Hiring Workers for Remote Positions
Performing background checks on in-office employees has been the norm for several decades. It’s estimated that 96% of employers perform at least one type of background check during the hiring process.
But does hiring more remote positions mean that employers can skip out on spending money for background checks? Absolutely not. Bad hires are bad hires whether they work in the office or from their kitchen table.
Remote employees have access to the same company information, client files and, depending on the position, sensitive data or financial information. So employers should require the same detailed background check for remote workers as they give on-premise employees.
Differences Between Background Checks for Remote and On-premise Employees
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law since 1970, allows job candidates to dispute and resolve potential inaccuracies within credit reports and consumer reports that a background screening service discovers during the pre-employment process. The information received in these third-party reports can provide eligibility for employment, among other purposes.
If you’re hiring remote employees that work in another state, for example, you must be aware of the FCRA regulations specific to that state. At least 22 states have written up their own versions of the FCRA. For example, under the federal FCRA, there is no limit to how long a criminal conviction can be reported. But nine states limit the time a conviction can be reported to seven years. Other states such as California, New York, New Mexico and Kentucky do not allow “non-convictions,” such as not guilty verdicts or dismissals, from ever being reported.
To ensure your business is complying with federal and state FCRA laws where the remote employee lives and works, it’s imperative to hire a reputable background screening company such as Barada Associates. We’ll be sure to use the employer’s address as well as the candidate’s address and ensure that the stricter of the two FCRA regulations are being followed.
What Bad Hires Cost a Company
Whether you’re hiring remote workers or an in-office employee, a bad hire can cost an organization dearly, which means pre-employment screening checks are crucial for all positions.
Some of the consequences that could result from a bad hire include:
- Financial impact. A bad hire can cost an organization thousands of dollars through lost productivity, increased turnover and wasted money on training.
- Company culture. A company culture is more important than ever before and is why many good employees choose a company today. Hiring a remote employee who doesn’t fit in with the company culture can negatively impact everyone, especially if they have a negative attitude in the workplace.
- A loss of productivity. Hiring someone who isn’t right for the position can mean they don’t know how to do the job properly. This can lead to decreased productivity which causes the business to miss deadlines and goals. This can lead to larger workloads for other employees, including managers.
- Reputation. Bad hires can have a negative impact on a company’s reputation if they work with clients. This can damage the relationship with clients, which can cost companies contracts and reduce sales.
- Legal issues. A bad hire can cause legal issues for a corporation if they engage in illegal activity.
Don’t take a risk on your new hires. Get in touch with Barada today to learn more about how we can help.
Contact Barada for Background Checks on Remote Workers
Whether you’re hiring in-office or remote workers, trust Barada Associates to leave no stone unturned during the background screening process. Employers must be able to trust all of their workers, both remote and local. Barada will provide the information that you need to make the best possible decision during your company’s remote hiring process
Depending on the type of employment background screening service your business chooses, Barada can provide comprehensive background services, including criminal checks, employee and academic verification, drug and alcohol testing, cognitive tests, and reference checks. Contact Barada Associates today to request a quote.