Professionals in human resources and business owners in Georgia are aware of how critical it is to hire the most capable, secure, and reliable workers for their organizations. Whatever your industry, conducting a Georgia background check on each potential employee is essential to the success of your company.

In order to conduct background checks in Georgia, you must also abide by all applicable local, state, and federal laws regarding the gathering and use of the data for employment-related purposes. You must comprehend the regulations that apply and keep up with any changes as they happen in order to adhere to all applicable background check laws. Additionally, you’ll need full access to the resources you’ll need to gather the different kinds of information you’ll need.

Federal Regulations on Background Checks for Jobs

Georgia employers and CRAs are required to abide by federal laws governing pre-employment background checks. The Fair Credit Reporting Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are the two most significant federal laws governing background checks in Georgia.

Act on Fair Credit Reporting (FCRA)

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which was passed in 1970, is overseen by the Federal Trade Commission. The information that is gathered and used for employment background checks is governed by a comprehensive set of rules and regulations included in this law. The FCRA imposes limitations on the data collection and reporting practices of CRAs as well as the use of collected data by employers in hiring processes.

CRAs are not allowed to publish arrest data for arrests that occurred more than seven years ago but did not result in convictions. In accordance with the FCRA, information about liens, civil lawsuits, collections, and bankruptcies that are seven years old or older cannot be reported.

When the positions pay at least $75,000, these time constraints do not apply. Additionally, there are no restrictions on reporting information about criminal convictions, regardless of age.

In Georgia, employers who wish to run pre-employment background checks must inform the applicants in advance and get their written permission before running any checks.

Before making a final decision, you must follow the FCRA’s adverse action procedure if you discover negative information during a pre-employment background check in Georgia.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964’s Title VII is the most significant federal anti-discrimination statute in the employment context. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission writes regulations to implement this law’s provisions.

Employers who receive criminal history data from background check reports are advised to do so by the EEOC. Before you make a poor choice, you should conduct a personal analysis of the information in relation to the situation.

What Information Appear on a Georgia Background Check?

Depending on the kinds of reports you request, a Georgia background check for employment may reveal certain information. The majority of employers in Georgia ask for information regarding the criminal, employment, and educational histories of their applicants among other types of data that may be requested. What you might anticipate seeing on each of those reports is listed below.

Criminal Records

The general public can conduct a Georgia background check on anyone at the Georgia Felon Search website for a fee of $15 per criminal record, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. No consent of any kind is required from the person whose criminal history is being checked.

It is necessary to get in touch with the State Police or Bureau of Investigation of the other state in order to obtain Georgia criminal history records from them. Information regarding the prerequisites and procedures for obtaining a criminal records check in their state can be found on those agencies’ websites.

Workplace Verification

You can make sure your employees are dependable and have the necessary experience for their positions by verifying the employment history information provided by your applicants. You might find the following details on a Georgia employment verification report:

• a candidate’s prior employers
• employment history
• job titles

This information can assist you in reducing the dangers associated with hiring unreliable, unqualified employees.

Verification of Education

Verifying an applicant’s education enables you to ensure that they possess the licenses or degrees needed for the position. These kinds of details could appear on a Georgia education verification report:

• the list of schools your applicants have attended
• the dates they were enrolled there
• diplomas, certificates, or degrees they may have obtained

By checking the educational backgrounds of your applicants, you can determine whether a candidate has fabricated their credentials and ensure that you only hire people who are truly qualified.

How Long Does a Georgia Background Check Take?

The length of the search, the responsiveness of the organization, institution, or agency involved, the type of background check, and whether you try to find the information on your own or use a consumer reporting agency (CRA) that offers background screening services all affect how quickly a Georgia background check can be completed. The guidelines below, however, can assist you in estimating how long it might take to get the results of your background check.

Third party sites like backgroundchecks, iprospectcheck, goodhire, are examples that you can try out.

With these guidelines, you can perform a Georgia background check with ease. Keep them in mind as you verify your candidate’s information.