Background Checks & Drug Testing: Then and Now

We've Come a Long Way!

The pre-employment screening industry has changed dramatically through the years. Just a decade ago, background checks were ordered by faxing a signed release along with the type of search you would like conducted, to your pre-employment screening firm. Or worse yet, companies would do their own background checks and have no clue as to whether or not they were being compliant with state laws. Another downside was, it was impossible for a company knowing which jurisdictions to search.

Along comes technology and along with it, come speed, accuracy and a substantial decrease in costs. Some backgrounds could cost over a hundred dollars. Now, those same reports are costing around $25 to $40. Background checks would have to be processed by hand and manually organized and dispatched. Now, most searches are automatically dispatched and categorized by type or client name.

One of the biggest advances has to do with Applicant Supplied Data systems. Some companies charge for this service, but there are still a few companies that offer this for free, simply to speed up and make the ordering process easier on the Human Resources Professionals. Now, HR Personnel simply need to input an applicant’s name and email address once finished, and the applicant does the rest through a secure online transaction. Even the mandated release forms are electronically provided to the applicant and permanent records are kept. This way of doing business has saved countless hours and costs by reducing time and paper. An added benefit of Applicant Supplied Data is now; your applicant can prove to you how serious they are about applying for a position with your organization. If the applicant doesn’t complete the request within a timely manner, this behavior can be used during the hiring process or you can simply cancel the request.

Even drug screening has gotten faster, cheaper and paperless. No more chain of custody forms and limited reach. With paperless solutions, drug testing locations can be found virtually everywhere with just the click of a button. This solution is worth its weight in gold for a company that is looking for a paperless office environment or an organization with nationwide footprints.

To learn more about advanced technology in background checks, including Applicant Supplied Data, Human Resources Integrations and paperless drug testing solutions, contact a service representative at Employers Investigative Services at 866-350-5638 or visit us on the web at www.eischecks.com.