The birds are nesting and the allergies are in full swing. Welcome to Spring! If you're feeling inspired to clean out the garage, keep the energy going and consider doing some spring cleaning in your HR department. As is our focus, this post will mostly be related to hiring and screening employees. Benefits and other human resources functions could also be looked over or refreshed this time of year. 

Take this time to do some spring cleaning for your HR department! 🌻🌼

To individuals and businesses alike, background checks can be a mystery. Where are consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) or background screening companies getting their information? How accurate is the data? Is there a reason to update a background check on an employee? Just how well do you know your employees? At VeriFirst, our mission is to be a trusted and transparent screening provider so let's dive into these questions.

How often are background checks updated and where is the information coming from?

Many employers will require a new hire to take a pre-employment drug test. Some employers may also require random drug testing during the employee's tenure with the company, especially if there is some suspicion of drug usage or the usage can affect the employee's ability to perform their job. What happens when an employee or new hire fails a drug test? It really depends on the situation.

Here are some examples of what could happen next.

Technology is changing how we do most things, business or otherwise. Sales and marketing have new tools at the ready to help increase efficiency and attract a wider audience. Hiring and recruiting, however, still involve the use of traditional HR processes and is often inefficient. Venture capitalists are investing in HR tech and predict more emerging developments in the space in the coming years. If HR tech can streamline hiring and recruiting, employee retention may follow. 

What should employers expect in HR Tech and how will it change hiring and recruiting?

It's vital for HR managers to understand the changes happening in hiring and employment so they can attract and retain the best talent and remain compliant with state and federal laws. 2018 and the few years prior have seen a push for reduced bias, equal pay and more demands from a younger workforce. These changes continue to affect not only how to hire, but how to retain current employees, as well as legislative response with new employment laws.

Here's what employers can expect in hiring trends and employment legislation in 2019.

The #MeToo movement may be affecting the annual company holiday party tradition, according to a recent study quoted on HRDive. Even though consumer and corporate confidence in the economy is higher than last year, the amount of companies planning to host a holiday party is as low as it was in 2009. The reason? Alcohol, the potential for inappropriate behavior and the liability of the HR department and the company throwing the shindig. While 57% of employees have seen their co-workers drunk, many businesses are considering a way to make the annual gathering less...wild.

Should your company have a holiday party? Let's offer some ideas to avoid bad behavior.

Creating a background check policy allows your human resources department to be consistent during the hiring, promotion and terminations processes. Employers must be mindful of applicant rights when applying a background check policy and any local, state or federal employment laws applicable in your area.  Attempting to remember screening procedures as well as compliance rules can be challenging, especially if hiring is done sporadically or not as often. A screening policy is a dependable, company-wide policy that helps to create a positive experience for hiring managers and employees.

Here are the most important steps to creating an HR policy for criminal background checks.

More companies are choosing to screen their employees, both prior to hire and after they are employed. With the “Me Too” movement and the most recent accusations against Judge Kavanaugh, rolling background checks are now considered a good idea for employers wishing to make their workplace safe from sexual harassment.

If your company or HR department has considered rolling background checks, here are some best practices for updating your employment policies to include it.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been quite busy this year including last week's lawsuits against seven employers for allegations of workplace harassment. This week, more lawsuits have been filed, including one against Grand Hyatt for disability discrimination and one against a Georgia restaurant for pregnancy discrimination. Employers are wise to examine these cases closely to ensure compliance with EEOC regulations. 

Let's take a closer look at some of the EEOC lawsuits and how employers should comply.

Background checks are important for any size business but may be overlooked by small businesses who don't hire regularly or don't know where to begin.  Some growing businesses may also opt out of screening due to time constraints or cost. Small businesses, however, have a lot more to lose by not screening new employees. If the wrong employee is hired, there's a huge loss of time and money. If the employee doesn't represent your company well, you could be sued for negligent hiring or face brand reputation challenges.

Background checks don't have to be a pain for small businesses. Use this handy resource list to get started and keep your company safe.