The short answer is, "Yes."

Read on to learn why an employer needs applicant consent to run a background check and how consent protects both parties.

It's no secret that company culture is important for retaining good employees. The COVID-19 pandemic has also put a large amount of stress on working parents, causing many to leave their jobs to take care of their kids who are schooling from home. According to new research from the Census Bureau, one fifth of working adults, mostly mothers, have chosen unemployment because the virus affected their available childcare choices. 

If you're wondering why an employee would quit your company, read on to learn how you can help them stay.

As a leading provider of background checks since 2004, we've heard many of the same questions and concerns of hiring managers and HR leaders. We've been asked to share sample templates and any resources to help make background checks less costly and more efficient. 

Compiling these resources, our HR Screening Kit includes information to address:

• How to reduce the costs of screening
• The best ways to reduce turnaround time on background checks
• FCRA compliant screening and hiring

Read more and get your copy of the Ultimate Guide to Employment Background Checks.

There's no question that your employees are under stress at the moment. With concerns about job security, sending the kids back to school, an economic recession and a raging global pandemic, the last thing they may be thinking about is their own mental health. As an employer, it may be up to you to consider the effects of stress on your team and how your workplace can help. 

Here are ways that leadership and human resources can address workplace mental health concerns during COVID-19.

As the pandemic continues across the world, employers are choosing to keep their offices closed and encouraging their staff to work remotely. In recent months, employers have made telecommuting accommodations by implementing new technology, expanding their remote recruiting strategies and facing new challenges head on. One such challenge is the notion of hiring and pre-employment background screening new remote applicants. When in-person work was the norm, background checks were the status quo. Are they still as important?

Can employers run background checks on remote employees?

In order for job applicants to be able to work in the United States, they must go through select requirements to prove citizenship or eligibility to work in the country. Each state, however, has different regulations. E-Verify was created to allow employers to run potential employees through a federal internet database to determine their workforce eligibility. E-Verify provides employers fast and free information on United States citizens and foreign citizens who have valid documentation to work in this country. 

When it comes to E-Verify mandates, every state is different. Some states require E-Verify checks on all applicants, while others do not require one at all.  The below is a list of E-Verify employer responsibilities, broken down by state. Please note, this list will be updated regularly. To receive automatic updates, you may subscribe to this blog using the options above.

We have compiled a complete and updated list of E-Verify requirements in every U.S. state. 

UPDATED: July 30, 2020

If you're looking for COVID-19 testing for your employees or prospective job candidates, VeriFirst can help. 

Our employee background screening services already include pre and post employment screening plus urinalysis drug screening. We have leveraged our current relationships with laboratories to offer virus testing to help keep your staff safe and healthy. Results will be delivered securely and in compliance with federal regulations. 

Read to learn more about COVID-19 testing as part of an employment background check.

As more businesses are responding to the Black Lives Matter movement, their customers and employees are demanding more than supportive social media posts. According to a recent AdWeek survey, Gen Z and Millennials in particular expect actionable changes such as reviewing hiring policies and more diversity in management. Many employers are listening and making stronger commitments to diversity and inclusion (D & I).

HR managers can help with D & I policies and other actions to reduce hiring bias. Here are four other best practices to increase diversity hiring.

Employers interested in running background checks on employees and candidates will work with background check companies to provide trusted and verifiable information. Background check companies are also commonly referred to as "consumer reporting agencies" under the federal legislation Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA was enacted to protect consumers from false information on their credit reports and from having that false data used against them. The legislation also protects employers by reaffirming that candidate data is accurate. 

Do you know if your background check company is following FCRA compliance?

When obtaining background screens, is your business working with a legitimate consumer reporting agency?

Hiring managers and recruiters are faced with looking at hundreds of resumes each day.  Glassdoor reports that the average time spent looking at a resume is 6 seconds while other surveys have listed less than two seconds. Applicant tracking systems make the job a little easier but resumes still have to pass the scan test in order to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers.

One such way for job applicants to be noticed by recruiters and hiring managers is to have an updated resume.  Here are 5 reasons why.