EBS's Background Screening Policies For Colorado's Distinct Needs
Background checks are integral in selecting the ideal person for any position. You don't want to neglect this crucial pre-employment screening process, which involves finding out about the applicant's education and employment history as well as confirming that their criminal and financial history qualify them for the position.
Colorado allows its public access to certain records, encouraging employers to conduct detailed employment background checks before hiring any candidate. But where should employers start looking?
Background-screening processes can be cumbersome and time consuming; here are a few important things you should keep in mind when conducting one for an employer.
A comprehensive Colorado background checks guide can give you peace of mind when conducting background checks for potential candidates by helping you determine the most efficient method to collect all the needed information to potentially hire the ideal person for your company.
What Is The Process For A Background Check In Colorado?
Once you've chosen a candidate, conduct an in-depth background search in Colorado to make sure there are no concerning records in their past that would cause you to reconsider hiring them. Here is how an employment background check in Colorado works!
Information gathered for Colorado background checks comes from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Department of Public Safety. You may access public records through CBI background searches to gain more knowledge about your candidate. Before using records as grounds for hiring decisions in Colorado, however, be familiar with its laws and policies first.
Colorado Background Check Laws For Employment
Colorado stands out as an industry leader when it comes to background checks laws. Colorado was among 35 states which adopted "Ban the Box", an initiative which allows employers not to require job applicants who may have been charged or convicted to disclose that information on their application form.
This policy seeks to be fair in its approach towards candidates with criminal histories by deferring further inquiry until it has been determined whether a candidate meets all eligibility requirements and can do their job successfully. By waiting, this aims to reduce automatic disqualifications associated with criminal backgrounds while improving job equality.
Once you initiate a background check on an applicant, it can be beneficial to understand their criminal and credit histories.
Colorado background check regulations specify who may pull credit reports of potential employees and when. In three scenarios in Colorado an employer could ask candidates for consent as part of the background check process:
- A bank or other financial institution is requesting the report.
- This report is mandated by law
- This report directly relates to the position for which the applicant is applying.
Financial institutions or banks must conduct credit checks when hiring candidates, to ascertain if their skills match your job requirements. You may request their credit reports if they're executive staff members or federal contractors etc.
Employers should always have a compelling reason for conducting an employment background check on applicants, and provide all information in writing prior to performing one.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers who rely on information contained within a credit report to reject job applications must inform applicants in writing about why this decision has been made and provide written notice as proof.
Do Criminal Records In Colorado Become Public?
Employers have access to certain records at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Department of Public Safety that will help them locate documents and records pertinent to candidates. It may be challenging locating all the needed info about an individual candidate; depending on how detailed your search needs to be it might still be possible.
Colorado Open Records Act mandates that most public records be made accessible, though certain files such as those related to criminal investigations, trade secrets or cyber security plans remain private. Most documents can either be viewed electronically for an administrative fee or at our office directly - starting here should be your search's starting point!
The Colorado Secretary of State office can provide many documents, but may not hold all records necessary. You will need to visit certain government offices - make sure you contact each one ahead of time as each has different procedures for reviewing and requesting records.
Colorado Department of Corrections provides an online search to locate offenders while Colorado Judicial Branch offers resources to search public court records; however, you might need to visit or call directly the courthouse in order to receive copies.
For vital records such as death certificates and birth certificates as well as marriage and divorce confirmations in Colorado, visit the Department of Public Health & Environment. These may require specific eligibility and identification requirements such as proof of marriage or legal interest documents.
Colorado makes some records public, but to obtain all of the pertinent employee data will require more time, energy, and cost than is cost effective. Therefore, third-party criminal background check companies such as EBS Colorado offer better solutions by saving both money and time while being compliant during an employee background check process.
What Is The Maximum Date Back That Colorado Will Allow For Background Checks?
Colorado law dictates a seven-year window for background checks to include arrest records for crimes that did not result in convictions that occurred more than seven years prior; there may be exceptions.
First and foremost, annual salary does not fall within this rule. According to FCRA law, however, this doesn't apply if a potential candidate will earn an annual salary exceeding $75,000 and can report information for more than seven years.
Second, prospective employees interviewing for positions within medical or educational industries will not be subject to this requirement. Medical staff such as home nurses, nursing home attendants and hospital employees may all undergo background checks prior to employment.
Background investigations should include all allegations of child abuse or sexual assault no matter their date of occurrence, no matter how old. Such details will help in establishing someone as suitable for employment opportunities.
Why EBS Colorado is Your Colorado Background Check Partner
Be confident you are hiring the ideal individual by conducting a background check in Colorado. A pre-employment background check should form part of any hiring process in this state, and any information obtained should adhere to applicable rules regarding its usage and disclosure.
Access some Colorado records online through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Department of Public Safety; however, their services do not compare with working with independent background screening companies like EBS Colorado.
At EBS Colorado, our mission is to assist employers and employees alike find the ideal candidates for every position available to them. Our research team takes great pride in conducting background checks for employees across Colorado that put the client's interests first and save both time and money in doing so. Contact us now to see how our solutions put clients' needs first in conducting background checks of employees in Colorado.
2023-08-11 15:55:16
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