Unfortunately, Payroll Companies are Now Dabbling in Background Checks
By Greg Haap – Sr. Sales Executive
1-888-GOBACK-1 ext. 82 | gregh@GObackgrounds.com
In a world of one-stop shopping, it would seem to make sense that the more products and services a company can provide under one roof, the better off the consumer would be. However, when it comes to liability, productivity, and quality of potential employees, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Just look to embattled CEO Vakrim Pandit and his untenable “supermarket” financial business model for Citi. After a stock slide from $23.50 to $0.97, Pandit has finally realized he could not be all things to all people in the financial services market and has started selling divisions faster than his bank could impose new fees on its customers.
Yes, putting all your human resource, payroll and employee screening needs in the hands of one service provider may increase the ease of paperwork and communication. But, it won’t increase the quality of work you are receiving in any of these areas. Especially employee background screening. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a very challenging and dynamic topic that very few companies can master. Only a proven specialist in the background check industry can keep you and your company out of court.
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony? A simple question, and one you’d think would be easy to answer for any company that provides background-screening services. Think again. We are finding more and more companies trying to pile on the number of services they can provide, but they cannot answer basic questions about the actual background screening services they claim to have expertise in. This is a scary trend, and a trend that will put many unknowing employers and companies at risk.
The bottom line here is simple. Let the bookkeepers, payroll and HR companies help you benefit from their expertise. And let a licensed corporate investigations company that specializes in background screening help you benefit from its expertise.
Quality background screenings are not about just entering names into a computer and seeing what comes out of the printer. It’s about reading between the lines and determining whether the potential employee has a different story than what is being purported on the employment application. It’s about recognizing red flags that aren’t in black and white. This is the difference between a multi-service company, and a licensed corporate investigations firm specializing in protecting the employer from liabilities that may arise down the road because of a faulty screening process.
With the current tight job market in this country, the likelihood of an applicant bending the truth is becoming greater. And, a poorly executed background check during times like these is an inadequate source for an employer to rely upon when making that final hiring decision.
It’s sad, but the old adage “you get what you pay for” has never been truer, especially in terms of background screenings. Employers that have cut spending and chose to save those few extra dollars on lesser quality background checks have learned the hard way; ultimately spending much more money on high employee turnover, theft and wasted man hours.
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