In 2012, after reported cases of inaccurate criminal background checks costing job seekers employment, the background screening industry faced greater scrutiny over accuracy of reports. This increased attention included a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report recommending regulations on data brokers, the FTC charging companies with alleged Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) violations, a National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) report on inaccurate background checks, two New York Times editorials, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) increasing supervision of background checks, and an NBC Today Show report on background check errors. In response, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) refuted reports critical of the screening industry and pointed to an accreditation program created to improve accuracy. This focus on accuracy is Trend 1 of the 6th Annual ‘ESR Top Ten Background Check Trends for 2013’ available at http://www.esrcheck.com/Top-Ten-Background-Check-Trends-for-2013.php. (more…)

With accuracy in employment screening a critical element in the current business environment, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) is offering employers five best practice tips for screening job applicants to ensure the highest degree of professionalism in background checks. To read ‘NAPBS Offers Tips for Screening Job Candidates in 2013,’ visit http://www.marketwatch.com/story/napbs-offers-tips-for-screening-job-candidates-in-2013-2012-11-28. (more…)

The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) Chairman Fred Giles has called an NBC Today Show report about pre-employment background checks and how background check firms make errors that mistake innocent people for criminals causing them to lose jobs “misleading” as well as “potentially dangerous.” The full NAPBS statement from Chairman Fred Giles about the NBC Today Show report is available at http://www.napbs.com/files/napbs_today_show_response.pdf. (more…)

An Omaha, Nebraska man convicted on three federal wire fraud charges in a fake background check fraud scheme was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay $126,715 in restitution, according to The Scottsbluff Star-Herald. The story, which shows why firms should look for a background screening accreditation seal, is available at: ‘Omaha man gets four years for background check fraud’. (more…)

Attorney at Law and safe hiring expert Lester Rosen, Founder and CEO of background check firm Employment Screening Resources (ESR), will present at a National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) education webinar titled ‘Where to Get Started on Accreditation’ on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM EDT (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST). To register for the webinar, which will focus on the Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP), visit the NAPBS website or http://www.esrcheck.com/Newsletter/ESR-Speaks/National-Association-of-Professional-Background-Screeners-Education-Webinar-144/. (more…)