S2Verify on What Questions Can Be Asked of Applicants
A growing number of cities and states are putting limits on prospective employers asking about an applicant's criminal background. Many applications have the line item asking “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?”, and now that question may be forbidden. Some states, such as Minnesota, had initially forbidden privately held companies from asking this question, and soon after expanded that to public companies. States like California, New Jersey and Vermont have enacted similar rules, and cities such as Seattle and Buffalo also followed the same trend. More and more states and cities are expected to impose a ban on the question in the next few years.
The National Employment Law Project estimates that one in four Americans have some arrest or conviction record, usually for nonviolent offenses. But, when applying for a job, checking ‘Yes’ to the crime conviction question almost uniformly excludes that applicant from an initial interview. The aim is not leave employers unaware of their workers' background, but to have the information come up later in the hiring process, after applicants have had a chance for an initial interview. The law is designed to end discrimination for persons convicted of a crime, but who have paid their debt to society and wish to start again. Read about S2Verify,LLC – The Employee as a measure of success for a business.
S2Verify, a leader in screenings for the workplace, is adept at knowing the ever changing rules and laws for each state. For example, for states where the question of criminal past has been eliminated, the prospective employer must first verify that the applicant is indeed qualified for the position, before an inquiry takes place. The constantly changing laws make it almost impossible for individual companies to abide by each process. In times like this, it’s imperative for companies to partner with a professional screening company to protect their assets and reputation. There are penalties associated with each violation, which could severely impact a company’s resources.
S2Verify LLC is an employment screening company, founded in 2009 by industry experts who recognized a need for a better way of doing business. S2Verify's leadership team has more than 25 years of experience in employment screening. Clients are amazed at their knowledge and expertise around local, state and federal laws and interaction with the courts. In fact, many clients rely on the team to help ensure they are following these laws. Thorough background checks include employment and education verification, drug testing, and criminal background checks. Find out more at Brandon Hess – Reliability is Essential.
