Employment verification is the procedure performed to confirm a candidate's past work history. Doing so affirms the to-be-hired candidate has the experience required to perform the planned job well. Background employment verification can also reveal false employment claims, gaps in employment, or fabrication of job titles. Employment verifications are crucial for the pre-employment screening process because they help uncover whether a potential candidate is dependable and fit for the job.
When employers believe they've found an ideal candidate, it can be alluring to propose the job offer as soon as possible without verifying the details of their employment history. However, employment verification checks are an essential component of the hiring process, and employers should not skip them.
Background employment verification ensures that the person hired is best suited for the job and an excellent fit. Employers should compare what a candidate claims on their resume with the factual data apprised by a background screening company.
There are various types of employment verification that various organizations follow; some adopt a few while others adopt a combination of some, but it's advised to follow all verification processes to be through and then make an informed decision. Let's look at some:
- Previous Employer Verification includes verifying an applicant who has had their employment history, and such details are verified.
- Current Employer Verification involves verifying an applicant's present job without disclosing any details about applying to another job.
- Education/Academic Verification involves the validation of a prospective candidate's academic and other educational competence.
- Official Reference Check is essential to know the applicant better. It includes authentication of attributes not mentioned in a resume: abilities, different qualities, work ethics, etc.
- Professional License Check involves reviewing professional licenses belonging to a particular applicant. This type of verification is usually conducted when employers need to follow an intense verification level.
When employers fail to verify employment eligibility and hire applicants who are not authorized to work in the U.S, they can face legal and civil penalties. Employers can encounter fines of thousands of dollars per violation of the I-9 rules for consciously recruiting, hiring, or referring for a cost to any unauthorized workers for a job. Federal contractors who disregard the law can be banned from future federal contracts and face fines.
Employers may also be subject to Immigration and Customs Enforcement audits if they fail to participate in E-verify. In addition to probable criminal and civil liability for employing unauthorized strangers in your company, employers must also ensure not to differentiate against prospective employees with proper employment eligibility documents. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states employers that discriminate against qualified applicants can face the following penalties:
- Civil penalties
- Orders demanding the employer to hire the applicant who the discrimination was against
- Criminal penalties if there is a specific routine and unethical hiring practices
- Debarment from forthcoming government contracts
- Charges for back pay to the applicant who the discrimination was against
The law is relatively explicit; employers must affirm the individuals' employment eligibility and ensure that the forms are completed accurately. Employers shouldn't differentiate against individuals based on their employment authorization documents; instead, they must review the records supplied by the prospects to verify whether they seem unpretentious.
When searching for a third-party company to perform a background employment verification check, employers should look for a provider that complies with the employment background check laws and is reliable and reputable. At One2verify, our background employment verification checks fully abide by the FCRA and all relevant federal and state laws. Contact us or visit our website to learn more about our services.