As another year passes, we are all left to reflect on some positives and negatives, applying the lessons learned to the future.
Throughout this year, Peopletrail has published nearly 50 articles and press releases to inform and educate our current customers and HR professionals worldwide on relevant current events, hiring trends, and screening practices.
As part of our year-end review, we highlight 10 of the biggest takeaways from this year’s collection of publications.
10 Big Takeaways from 2023
1. Important Post-Hire Screening Solutions
Employers sometimes see post-hire screening as a sign of distrust. However, this practice can be tremendously valuable to the long-term health of an organization. Five important post-hire screening practices we find tremendously beneficial include:
- Post-hire drug screening
- Continuous criminal/employment monitoring
- Ongoing social media screening
- Ongoing MVR screening (for drivers)
- OIG sanctions checks (position-specific)
Read this article for more information on these post-hire screening solutions and some critical compliance measures that need to be observed when adopting a post-hire screening program.
2. Combatting Quiet Quitting
Quiet quitting is an emerging trend that can damage organizations from within. Quiet quitting simply refers to the employee doing the absolute minimum required to avoid termination.
A recent poll shows that quiet quitters comprise at least 50 percent of the U.S. workforce.
We have ideas on how quiet quitting can be combated through intentional pre-hire screening practices. You can learn more here.
3. Drug Test Detectability Timelines
Substance detectability varies greatly depending on the type of drug test administered. The four main types of drug tests used by employers include:
- Urine test
- Hair follicle test
- Oral fluids (saliva) test
- Blood toxicology test
We’ve broken down the basics of each test and outlined the drug detection windows of each in order to help inform your decision as to which method to use. You can learn more here.
4. More About Random Drug Testing
According to the National Safety Council, around 9 percent of adults in the workforce have a substance abuse disorder, and over 70 percent of illicit drug users report being actively employed.
While we tend to immediately associate these employees with lower-income positions, the truth is that many of these employees operate professionally within the education and healthcare systems.
For this reason, random drug testing is a very beneficial practice.
You can find more tips and insights about implementing a successful random drug testing program here.
5. Legalities Surrounding Marijuana Testing
The laws surrounding cannabis and an employee’s use of the substance are changing rapidly from state to state.
This is becoming a complex issue that requires a fair amount of vigilance.
We’ve provided some resources and insights on the matter that can help inform employers on how this issue is handled within their organization. You can find those here.
6. Peopletrail’s Top ATS of 2023
As a background screening CRA, we work with many HR systems.
Throughout the years, we have gathered a lot of first-hand and second-hand information on which of these systems are worth recommending and which fall a little behind.
When it comes to ATS, here are our top choices for 2023 (for various reasons):
- Workday
- Bamboo HR
- UKG
- Jazz HR
- iCIMS
For a more in-depth look at these choices, give this article a read.
7. All Consumer Reports Need Consumer Consent
We often get questions regarding the possibility of providing consumer insights (particularly social media insights) to employers without informing the candidate. Now, these questions, of course, aren’t asked in an effort to skirt compliance– they are legitimate inquiries.
However, any consumer data (public or not) provided by a CRA such as us, deems the information a consumer report. According to the FCRA, all consumer reports require consumer consent.
You can learn more about this here.
8. Fingerprint Screening
Millions of FBI (fingerprint) background checks are conducted in the U.S. each year.
While we rarely recommend fingerprint screening over name-based screening, it does have its time and place.
You can find some helpful insights regarding fingerprint screening here.
9. New Harassment Guidelines Proposed by EEOC
What constitutes workplace harassment may be changing.
In September of 2023, the EEOC proposed new guidelines in order to better protect employees from harassment within their organization.
These proposed guidelines also clarify when/if the employer should be held responsible for such conduct.
Read more about this topic here.
10. Touching on Background Screening Fees
Background screening fees can be a point of confusion for many.
While inherent to the industry, screening fees also encounter tremendous variability from state to state, making them difficult to account for at times.
Here is a publication that will help clear up any confusion with regard to background screening fees.
Conclusion
2023 has been a year with some changes. At Peopletrail, we consider it our responsibility to provide up-to-date insights relevant to the industry, educating as many as possible about screening laws and best practices.
We appreciate all the lessons we have learned this year and look forward to the approaching 2024 calendar year with optimism and excitement.
For more information about our screening solutions, feel free to contact us.
