Access Profiles, Inc.

Is the COVID pandemic causing extra delays to your background checks?

No one likes to wait…..especially when it comes to getting the information you need to make decisions for you and your business!

But there are times when circumstances happen beyond your control. That is when you need to take action. And that means identifying the issue, recognizing the problem it is causing, and creating a plan to eliminate or at least mitigate the effect it is having on your business.

There is no doubt that the effects of the COVID pandemic have caused problems for businesses. It has impacted employees, customers, and a businesses bottom line. 

And one of these problems is potential delays to employment background checks.

Factors than can delay your background check due to the COVID pandemic include:

• Court closures and limited court and records staff may delay receiving case records needed for criminal and civil reports
• Limited Staff and Work from home employees can make it hard to reach anyone to verify the information you need  
• Work from home employees may not have ready access to the files containing the information required 
• Business you are trying to reach may be shut down or their hours limited

However, COVID, or any pandemic, is not the only reason background checks may be delayed. There are other factors, many that are out of your control, that can impact how quickly you get your screening results.

The Top 10 Obstacles than can Delay Your Background Check are:

1. Resume/Application Mistakes, Errors, & Fabrications
2. Timing of Your Request
3. Manual Court Checks
4. Individual Court Dynamics
5. Employment and Reference Checks
6. Incomplete Case Information
7. Power Outages or System Maintenance
8. International Requests
9. Government Shutdowns
10. Changing Legislation

Once you have identified the potential delays that may effect your background checks, then you can create a sound plan to help eliminate, or at least alleviate, their impact on your hiring process.

Get Creative ~ You can contact individuals for verifications if company numbers are not responding. These alternate references can be co-workers, non-HR contacts, etc. that can verify your applicant’s resume or application. You may even request information from your applicant such as W-2s, a certified diploma to help. The key is to think outside the box for ways you can get the information you need to screen your candidate when traditional avenues are closed or hard to reach.

Practice Patience ~ There are times no matter what you do you cannot eliminate delays. That is when you simply have to do what you can to mitigate its impact on your hiring process.

That starts with keeping your job applicant fully informed. Let them know that there have been delays in completing their screening and what you are doing to help solve them. You also need to be completely honest with how that may effect their potential hire date.

You may also want to consider offering your applicant probationary employment in the mean time. This an especially helpful option when the background check is not fully complete but what is done is favorable. Using this option can go a long way towards keeping a great candidate from going elsewhere.

A good background check company can help you overcome many of these delays and keep you on the right track. 

After looking at your candidate's resume or application, they are there to identify potential problems and suggest sound solutions. Your screening company will also keep you informed when a problem occurs along the way and what can be done to get past it.

Find out more in “What can you do to combat Background Check Delays”.

No matter what the reason, Background Check delays can happen. Whether it is due to a rare occurrence like the COVID pandemic or something more common like issues with the courts, waiting for the results you need is never welcome.  Recognizing in advance potential delays, and having a sound plan in place to deal with them if it does, makes all the difference. And we can help! Contact Access Profiles Today for the guidance you need.

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