Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/316485
[ 40 ] HRO TODAY MAGAZINE | MAY 2014 Background Screening • Identify concerns in candidate's backgrounds. The need for international screening most often occurs when: • A foreign national or U.S. citizen, citing employment or educational records from abroad, applies for work in the U.S., or • A U.S.-based company is hiring in another country. As Director of Global Security and Anti-Bribery and Corruption Compliance Officer for Huron Consulting Group, David Smiatacz understands the inherit risk that comes along with having a mobile workforce. Smiatacz has taken the appropriate steps to background screen Huron's more than 2,500 employees in the United States, Europe, and Asia. "We have a standard background screening process and the scope varies by duty and position," he says. "We also have to take into consideration that employee and privacy laws vary by state and by country." He turns to provider Employment Background Investigations (EBI) for third-party expertise in screening both domestic and international employees. The types of screens the firm enlists runs the gamut: public records, employment history, educational history, certifications, global sanctions, and driving records if the position requires the use of an automobile, among others. Something Smiatacz strongly leans on EBI for is its knowledge of country-specific laws, privacy laws, and employment laws, ensuring Huron stays compliant. "This is what we truly rely on the partnership for," he says. Leveraging third-party expertise for companies that do conduct international screens is quite common. In fact, HireRight's 2014 survey found that 72 percent of companies partnered with a background screening provider to screen global employees. Organizations are looking to providers to help them overcome the challenges of international screening in order to stay compliant with the varying laws. "Background screening firms are better positioned to help based on growing expertise and resources," says Bob Capwell, chief knowledge officer of EBI. The expertise can allow global organizations to have a consistent hiring policy, which is key to maintaining compliance and avoiding negligent hiring practices. "If you are hiring software programmers in the United States and also hiring the same job function in India, it is wise to keep your screening policies for both countries in line as much as possible," says Camille H. Gamble, vice president of marketing for Verified Person. "While it is true that foreign counties may record criminal records differently or have different privacy laws, the basic principle is the same. No company is immune to negligent hiring liability." Steven C. Millwee, president and CEO of SecurTest, Inc.— The iReviewNow Company, agrees. While the laws many not be exactly the same as those of the U.S.-based Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, other countries have developed various standards to protect employees. And in some of those nations, getting the "hire right" takes on even more urgency than in the U.S. "Many countries have very pro-employee employment laws, where it makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to terminate employment," he says. "Verifying references, education, qualifications, and the background are safeguards for employers before entering into employment contracts that have long term implications for the enterprise and candidate." Security can also be an issue. "If a U.S.-based organization has a presence abroad, they are a potential target for security breaches," says Dave Dickerson, CEO and president of Accurate Background. "These companies not only want to protect their employee's well-being, but their own intellectual property as well. While background checks alone do not guarantee 100 percent against terrorism, it does create a deterrent from potential infiltration." Best Practices to a Global Screening Program Screening international employees poses certain challenges: What types of candidates do you screen? What do specific countries allow? Are there screens that may be viewed as discriminatory? Is there any information gleaned from a background check that can't be used in the hiring process? To help answer those questions, consider these best practices: Protect your company with consent. Start the process with transparency—offer your candidates full disclosure on your screening practices and obtain written consent. "Many countries around the world do not practice background screening as a primary function of the hiring process and this practice may be considered a bit 'foreign' to many