Background Checks, Franchise-wide

Reliable Background Screening, a nationwide provider of employee background checks and pre-employment background screening services, recently launched a new Preferred Partner Program to help franchise businesses maintain uniformity and reduce risk. The program will offer franchise companies the ability to have all its franchisees use the same service for employee background checks. 

“From working with a plethora of different and growing franchise companies, we have found that hiring qualified and honest employees at the franchise level is a critical component to the success of the entire company,” says Rudy Troisi, president and CEO. “Our new Preferred Partner Program was created out of a need we identified to mitigate the risk a bad hire can present to the franchise company network, which could cost the entire organization money, time or brand loyalty.”

What’s needed in a background check is not necessarily the same from one business to the next. Most businesses are typically concerned about “criminal” history, according to Troisi, but he notes that no criminal database exists the covers all of the U.S.A. “Even the FBI files have only about 50 percent of all crimes in the nation.” Nor will a simple search by Social Security number suffice. “The reality is that virtually no criminal records have any SSN attached to them, so it requires verifying exact legal name and date of birth against government ID, and also checking maiden and other legal names.”

There are other issues that should be researched, some that vary by industry. Banks and financial institutions, for instance, will often require a credit report. For positions that involve driving, whether with a company-owned vehicle or the employee’s vehicle, even if it involves only occasional driving, a Motor Vehicle Report should also be obtained. Searching for SDN’s (Specially Designated Nationals, with whom any person or business is prohibited to engage in any type of business relationship, including employing them) is critical, as the penalties are severe. Searching for individuals on the National Sex Offender Registry, as well as on other “watch lists,” is also needed. Additionally, it’s important to independently verify credentials, such as educational degrees, certifications and job history, if important to the employer and/or the position being filled.

Although the Preferred Partner Program is designed for a franchise network, Reliable will custom design a program that best suits each individual business, be it an individual franchisee or a business or organization of any type.