Baseline procedures for screening and evaluating all candidates for employment with the organization SHALL be implemented.

Control Type: Administrative

Control Function: Preventive

When in the process of hiring new talent to join your team, ensure that all potential hires are properly vetted. Background checks are generally standard procedures in any business. These basic reviews help ensure that candidates are trustworthy and do not have any red flags that could indicate future nefarious activities. You will obviously not gain a complete understanding of a candidate’s character from these checks, but it is still a precautionary measure that should be implemented for all potential candidates in all roles in your business. 

The majority of information for screening and background check processes can be gathered from Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) sources, as well as specific information provided by candidates on their applications. Organizations will differ in the depth of information they study for these checks. Oftentimes, industry regulations and standards will play a part in the procedure. However, some general sources of knowledge can be consulted by most organizations:

  • Driving records
  • Credit reports
  • Criminal records (local, state, and federal)
  • Medical records
  • Bankruptcy information
  • Military records
  • School records
  • Worker’s compensation records
  • Character references 
  • Neighbor interviews 
  • Previous employer references
  • Drug test results
  • Sex offender records

Many of these records can be obtained through OSINT, but there are a number that can only be obtained with the consent of the candidate in question. Medical, school, and credit records all fall under this umbrella, as do neighbor interviews. Drug tests must be conducted using proper procedures and sources. Several regulations also govern access to private information, such as HIPAA, FERPA, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Some information is out of bounds for consideration in the screening process. For example, the Fair Credit Reporting Act states that negative credit information older than 7 years cannot be factored into the hiring process.