WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) applauds the Today Show for emphasizing the critically important role background screening plays in today’s business environment during the Rossen Report, which aired this morning.
Employers routinely request background checks for potential new hires and existing employees and rely on background screens to help mitigate the risk of workplace violence, employee theft and negligent hiring lawsuits.
“Health care workers, volunteers working with children, those handling money issues for businesses – and especially home service workers –are all examples of positions where employers need to know who they are hiring,” said NAPBS Chairman Fred Giles. “Background screening is a critical practice that provides employers with the peace of mind and confidence to know they’re making the best hiring decision possible.”
Equally important, a comprehensive screening program gives reassurance to consumers that the contractors, service providers and workmen they let into their homes are safe. NAPBS is pleased to have an ally in Lucia Bone, whose group The Sue Weaver C.A.U.S.E. (Consumer Awareness of Unsafe Service Employment), aims to educate consumers and employers on the moral and legal obligation for criminal background checks on all employees, contractors and subcontractors.
“Consumers should ask not only whether companies screen their workers but also if they use a professional background screener, such as a member of the NAPBS,” said The Sue Weaver C.A.U.S.E. Founder and Executive Director Lucia Bone. “Professional background screeners are subject to federal oversight regarding compliance with all requirements under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and NAPBS members hold themselves to the highest standards of ethical business practices."
The background screening industry is highly regulated by the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well as state and local consumer protection laws. In addition, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued revised enforcement guidance on the use of criminal background checks for employment screening purposes, directed toward employers who use such reports.
About NAPBS
The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) is the leading national resource for issues related to the background screening industry. NAPBS promotes and advocates for ethical business practices and fosters awareness of privacy rights and consumer protection issues. NAPBS is the foremost leader in the movement toward establishing generally accepted and reliable standards for background screening professionals and organizations. For more information on background screening, visit our website at www.napbs.com.
