In employment screening, a CRA has a duty to both their client—the employer—and each candidate. With a need for customer care on multiple fronts, balance is a constant consideration.
On the client side, CRAs have a duty to ensure the timely and accurate completion of each background check while maintaining rigid compliance with applicable laws and regulations. For many screening companies, this includes assisting clients with their employer-side compliance responsibilities such as pre-adverse action and adverse action management. All of this requires intention and clear communication. Additionally, each employer wants their candidates to have a positive experience throughout this process.
It is the duty of the CRA to communicate tactfully with candidates, when necessary, offer helpful support, and procure necessary information while striving to meet established SLAs. Failure to properly support the candidates can result in confusion, frustration, delays, inaccurate information, and, in extreme cases, even litigation.
In short, a poor candidate experience affects all three parties, which is why candidate experience is one of the primary factors any CRA should weigh in their pursuit of a well-balanced overall solution.
What Is Meant By Advanced Screening?
Background screening solutions can vary widely in complexity.
While some background checks begin and end with a basic database search, others are much more involved, particularly when DOT and occupational health screening services are involved.
A Few Examples
For certain DOT screening processes, such as the pre-employment FMCSA Clearinghouse search, specific consent is required via the FMCSA platform. This necessitates additional outreach and communication from the CRA and the employer to ensure the candidate understands what is needed from them.
DOT and non-DOT verifications can likewise require outreach from the CRA to verify details provided and procure documentation from the candidate. If not diligent and tactful, such outreach can create more problems than it is aimed to resolve.
Occupational health screening services, such as pre-employment and random drug screening, can be confusing for candidates if not properly carried out. From facilitating convenient collections to possible MRO review and outreach, there can be several moving pieces that could frazzle candidates.
In short, some background checks include very basic criminal components that rarely require much communication or involvement from the candidate. Other background checks can be extensive, including DOT-required searches and verifications, as well as occupational health screening services that require much more candidate coordination and support.
Where the Process Can Break Down
With screening components, such as verifications and drug tests that can significantly hold up a file, candidate care and support are even more crucial. Here are some examples of situations and concerns that can impact a candidate’s experience if not handled properly:
- The candidate has difficulty with their electronic authorizations
- The candidate needs to change their drug testing collection location
- The lab results of a drug test come back positive due to the detection of legitimately prescribed medication, requiring MRO outreach
- The candidate submitted incorrect personal Identifier information
- The candidate is confused about the process of granting additional, third-party consent when required
- Additional documentation is needed from the candidate for credential verification
Final Thoughts
A more advanced background check will inevitably introduce more moving pieces to the candidate than a simple one. Additional consents, occupational health coordination, and outreach from multiple parties may be necessary. At times, this can be confusing or overwhelming. In such instances, candidate experience is enhanced through clear communication and dedicated support throughout the process. Such support and communication help reduce confusion and significantly shorten turnaround times.
Enhanced candidate care for more advanced screenings is necessary to ensure the best possible candidate experience.