Most companies make use of a pre-employment check system before hiring new employees, but companies that handle sensitive information should be especially cautious when hiring new people. There are many reasons why it is helpful to do background checks before hiring.

Employers resolving class-action lawsuits over alleged background check violations paid out a total of $174 million, a news report says. 

First Advantage released the results of its “2019 Top Screening Trends & Insights” State of the Industry report. After surveying enterprise customers and cross-referencing their responses with aggregated data from more than 66 million annual global searches, First Advantage was able to identify the key trends driving the employment background screening industry.

Screening is now a requirement for anyone involved with the sports camps or athletic department in the University of Wisconsin, including employees and volunteers.

Under new policies, employees in the UI system will undergo background checks before they can work with minors, especially at 4-H meetings, music or sports camps.

After it was discovered that one armed guard had a criminal past, the 16 uniformed officers in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives have been unarmed. 

A new survey shows that 69 percent of organizations perform criminal checks on all job candidates, which is lower than a 2010 survey's conclusion of the same criteria – 73 percent.

The bill would have prohibited local governments in California from inquiring into or considering the criminal history of an applicant or including any inquiry about criminal history on any initial employment application. 

As cost-cutting concerns subside, HR departments debate medical marijuana, social media and credit checks in screening processes.