Background Screening

 Did you know that 30% of the population in the United States have a criminal record? That translates to 92 million people with criminal records that are in the workforce. Is one working for you right now?    Have you tried to stay current with state and federal regulations that pertain to the use of background checks and understand the adverse action and record dispute processes? Failure to comply with state and federal regulations could put you at odds with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  Does your company pride itself on being customer-responsive? This “customer first” mentality is great for business but if you’re not being customer-responsible and screening employees, you could greatly increase your liability for a negligent hiring lawsuit. The average negligent hiring lawsuit can cost a company nearly $1 million with the highest settlement on record of $26.5 million.  Today it’s imperative that businesses of any size run...

Hello Valued Client,  If you’re a property owner, investor or property manager you may have noticed an increase in legal issues pertaining to the Multifamily Industry.  Many state and local governments have recently passed or are discussing legal issues that affect background checks. Here are a few that we found to be interesting.  The City of Seattle Washington has enacted a city ordinance that prevents the use of criminal records as part of the tenant background screening process. The Fair Chance Housing ordinance prohibits a landlord from using any criminal offense when choosing whether to rent to someone. The only exception is for registered sex offenders.  Colorado had a 3rd reading of House Bill 18-1127 on February 26, 2018. This concerns the application process for prospective renters. The Bill will limit the amount an applicant can be charged for a rental application fee. Rental criteria must be provided in a written format and applicants mu...