Employee background checks help employers ensure that their team members comply with the law and with necessary job requirements. This compliance can improve workplace safety, reduce liability, and ensure that the right people hold the right roles for company success.

Not every background check contains all types of available information. There are often sound business and legal reasons to limit a background check so that it focuses only on the information your team needs.

Nonetheless, many different types of information are available in a comprehensive background check. These include:

Immigration or citizenship status. A background check might verify an employee’s Social Security number, immigration status, or citizenship.

Work history. A background check can help determine whether an employee actually held the positions listed on their resume or CV, and if so, under what circumstances the employee left that position.

Criminal history. Many background checks focus on a employee’s criminal history. These checks are especially common and necessary when the employee holds a job, or seeks a promotion into a job, that is reserved only for workers without certain types of criminal backgrounds.

Credit. Many roles require employees to handle money on behalf of customers, clients, or the company itself. A credit check can provide insight into the employee’s ability to handle money wisely and to meet the deadlines imposed by the need to pay bills on time.

Driving records and vehicle registration. Does the employee have a valid driver’s license? Is their vehicle properly licensed and insured? What does their driving record look like – have they been ticketed repeatedly, or do they have a history of safe driving? This information can help companies decide whether a driving-heavy role is the right fit for a particular employee.

Court records. Court records searches go beyond criminal records. They examine involvement in civil claims, awards of compensation, past bankruptcies, and even property ownership. These records can provide insight into an employee’s trustworthiness, propensity for negligence, or other key factors that can affect their ability to fill a particular role well.

Drug test results. Drug testing is a cornerstone of workplace safety policies for many companies, as well as a legal requirement for many roles. A comprehensive background check may include information on an employee’s past drug test history.

Need to know more about your current staff or your job candidates? Trust Metrodata Services to provide the comprehensive background check information you need to make accurate, informed decisions about your workforce. Contact us today to learn more.