Background screening is often the first line of defense against insider threats in an enterprise, but according to Employment Screening Resources CEO and Founder, attorney Lester Rosen, “2014 promises to be the year of challenges in screening.” According to Rosen, enterprise security leaders should be closely tracking the following 10 trends in 2014:

1. The “Ban the Box” movement, which would eliminate the “criminal history” question from job applications, is picking up momentum.
2. Updated EEOC (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) guidance on use of criminal records by employers is becoming a core concern for human resources.
3. The use of commercial criminal databases is becoming more controversial as employers face more risk when screening. “Do it yourself” background check websites will be the focus of increased scrutiny in 2014.
4. Class-action lawsuits for failing to perform background checks properly and with due diligence will become even more prevalent.
5. Use of National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) accredited background screening firms by enterprises will pick up steam.
6. Identity theft and “offshoring” (storing background check information overseas beyond U.S. privacy laws) are emerging as important factors for employers to consider when screening.
7. Social network searches are being used less for background checks and more for recruiting and sourcing.
8. Credit reports are becoming a disfavored tool in employment screening that may disappear from the hiring landscape.
9. More employers will be including international background checks in hiring processes.
10. Technology is decreasing the time and effort needed for employers to perform background checks.