“...there are some significant factors
you should consider before hiring
a background screening firm.”
examine the actual candidate? One of the
greatest risks facing companies is denying
employment to a candidate based on misidentification
of the individual through an
online search. Make sure the background
investigation firm takes the necessary
steps to avoid false identification.
If they uncover information that could
be legally questionable, do they ensure
that such information is expunged from
the reports they provide you? It is conceivable
that the vendor could discover
information that might be construed as
discriminatory. Make sure that any such
information is redacted from the report
and is not otherwise conveyed to your
organization or its executives.
Does the firm rely exclusively on technology
or do they employ human analysts
to review, confirm and assess the information
found? Some potentially questionable
or objectionable information may
actually reflect sarcasm, satire, or parody,
or otherwise be less indefensible than it
initially appears. Be careful about relying
exclusively on computer programs or
other technologies.
What steps does the firm take to protect
the candidate’s privacy? Beyond minimizing
the risk of litigation, it is also essential
to consider the candidate’s privacy concerns.
After all, while you want to eliminate
those candidates that pose a real risk to
your organization, you are searching for
an individual who will become a valuable
member of your team. You need to protect
your company, but you also want to avoid
offending the candidate unnecessarily.
Does the firm provide screenshots or
otherwise carefully document potentially
damaging findings? Ask for a
sample report and share it with your
legal counsel. The best firms will provide
information that could prove invaluable
in legal proceedings.
Conclusion
Social media and online screening
of prospective employees can be an extremely
valuable tool for employers seeking
to protect their reputations, brands,
and financial resources—as well as the
safety and well-being of their employees,
customers, shareholders, and other
stakeholders.
In common with other forms of background
checks and consumer investigative
reports, social media screening is
governed by strict regulations ensuring
candidates are treated fairly and appropriately.
Fortunately, by following a few basic
guidelines and retaining an independent,
ethical, and legally compliant professional
firm to perform your investigations, you
can rest easy knowing that your actions
are beneficial, ethical, and completely
legal—while remaining totally consistent
to your organization’s core values.
Bianca Lager, President of Social Intelligence,
joined the social media background
screening company in 2016. By driving the
vision for Social Intelligence to provide productive,
ethical, and innovative solutions for
pre-employment background screening, she
has spent her time working closely with human
resource groups and general counsels at
corporations across the nation, aligning Social
Intelligence to be responsive to the dynamic
legalities of social media in application to
employment decisions. Lager earned her MBA
from Pepperdine University in 2015, with a
certification from Pepperdine Law School
in Human
Resources and
Dispute Resolution.
Prior
to that, Lager
spent several
years as a human
resources
and business
manager in the
transportation
and technology
industries.
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