TenantScreeningUSA.com a leading supplier of TransUnion’s SmartMove platform celebrates the one millionth user of the growing software platform. TenantScreeningUSA.com in partnership with SmartMove provide the easiest, simplest and most secure internet based tenant screening system for landlords and small to mid-size property managers. Key features of the secure system are privacy controls which do not allow the landlord to see personally sensitive information about the potential renter. This is achieved by the renter entering in their personally identifiable information separately from the landlord portal. Information such as SSN, date of birth and bank account numbers remain secure. However, the landlord gets everything they need through this tenant background check system such as a credit report, credit score, national criminal history check and a professional leasing decision all within seconds after information is entered in the online tenant screening system. To learn more about TenantScreeningUSA.com and SmartMove read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/tenantscreeningusa-com-joins-transunion-in-celebrating-the-one-millionth-user-of-smartmove-platform-what-is-smartmove/
What the EEOC and FTC Want Employers to Know
The new joint guidance from the EEOC and FTC spelled out what they want employers to know. First off they want employer’s employment screening policies to promote equality and to prevent discrimination. The joint guidance highlights that the same standard must be used on all individuals and that all information must be used the same way. The joint guidance was designed to define what can and cannot be used in regards to public records like criminal background checks in the employment background screening process as well as the rights of individuals during the hiring process. Employers must get written permission from job candidates in order to pull background reports on them, and must explain what type of background check/s will be conducted. The candidate also has a right to request a copy of any background information used in making the hiring decision. The joint guidance also addresses adverse action and what needs to happen if an employer denies employment based in part or in whole on information contained in a background check. To read more about the EEOC and FTC joint guidance view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2014-6-9-Highlights-of-the-Joint-Guidance-from-the-EEOC-FTC.html
Schools Should Conduct Thorough Background Checks
Recent headlines suggest that private and public schools should re-visit their employment screening practices. In New Hampshire a substitute teacher with a previous felony conviction was recently charged with felony sexual assault highlighting clear problems with the State’s background screening policy. Incidents like this could have been avoided if a thorough criminal background check had been conducted originally finding the previous felony conviction and subsequent denial of employment. Schools more than most must have a solid in-depth employment background screening policy in place to protect the at-risk population of children. Conducting a thorough background check on all aspects of an individual’s past is critical to protecting students. It is also important to perform the broadest background check enquiry possible on all individuals that come in contact with students such as teachers, bus drivers, janitors, volunteers, contractors and aides. To read more about this issue view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2014-5-22-Schools-Remain-Critical-Environments-for-Thorough-and-Complete-Background-Screening.html
Landlords Should Conduct Tenant Checks on Short Term Renters
Over the past few years people took advantage of the recent economic downturn and subsequent lower housing prices to buy a second home. As rents increased and home ownership costs decreased many took the opportunity of buying a second house to rent out. Although this sounds like a profitable endeavor it is not always easy to become a first time landlord. Often first time landlords renting out their property for short term rentals like vacation rentals overlook the need to perform a thorough tenant background check. With the exception of duration the tenant screening process should be the same for both short term and long term rentals. A thorough tenant check should include a criminal background check and national sex offender registry search in addition to a credit report and credit score. Failure to perform a thorough tenant check on an applicant for a short term rental could end up costing the new landlord more than the rent amount and end up becoming a money pit instead of a profitable rental situation. Property damage and reputation damage can turn a successful rental operation into a disaster. Cutting corners in the rental screening process is never worth it, tenant checks are not very expensive and can help the first time landlord make the best decisions in regards to who they rent to short term or long term. To learn more about the pitfalls of being a first time landlord and why a through tenant check is important even for short term rentals read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/summer-rental-landlords-must-conduct-a-tenant-check-on-short-term-renters/
HUD Reaffirms Commitment to Fair Housing Litigation
In April of every year the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) celebrates Fair Housing. This year HUD is focused on disparate impact, an increasingly popular term that describes a form of discrimination that is not on the face discriminatory. However, when looking at the overall tenant screening results it could show that a protected class is being disproportionally discriminated against even if the landlord implores the same tenant screening policies on everyone. Even if the landlord or property manager has no intent to discriminate against a protected class under the U.S. Civil Rights Act they could still be in violation of the law if the policy disproportionately harms that class. In addition recent moves by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Trade Commission show greater scrutiny for the appropriate use of public records, especially criminal history records in the tenant screening process. Now more than ever it is a good idea for landlords and property managers to partner with a professional third party tenant screening company to help them stay compliant with an ever evolving legal atmosphere. To learn more about the impact HUD and disparate impact are having on the tenant screening industry read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/hud-celebration-of-fair-housing-month-focuses-attention-on-tenant-checks-and-disparate-impact/
The Breadth and Depth of Background Checks Matter
In recent news driving services such as Uber were found by the Chicago Tribune to not have performed criminal background checks on some of their drivers. Instead they were allowing their drivers to ferry around passengers for months without knowing whether or not they had felony convictions. A KCRA.com investigation found that California was giving out letters clearing people to work for daycare or assisted living before they investigated their criminal records sometimes for serious crimes. This is of course an issue that needs to be resolved by the California State Legislature. From the CBS Local they found that a Dallas car service company ran into some issues with their pre-employment background checks when they found out that the multi-state database they were using was missing conviction records. The scope and depth of criminal background checks vary greatly from one provider to another. It is important for any organization or company to partner with a professional third party background screening company for thorough criminal background checks that encompass a certain geographical/political area and include criminal records such as felony convictions. To read more about this issue view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2014-4-23-Background-Checks-In-the-News.html
Highlights of Consumer Rights with Background Screening
In the USA consumer rights are very important and this remains the same when it comes to background screening in the USA. Most specifically employment screening is where federal law makes it clear how pulling public records like criminal records on employment candidates has to work. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) outlines exactly what must occur when an employer performs criminal background checks on potential or current employees. The employer must get written permission from the candidate giving the employer the right to pull background checks on them. Also if an employer receives criminal records found or other public records found on the individual seeking employment then the company has to give the job applicant an adverse action letter along with a document with the summary of their rights under the FCRA. These safeguards are in place to protect consumers and to provide a fairer environment for job seekers. If a job seeker does not get a job because of say a criminal conviction record found on them then they have the right to know this so they can either dispute it or seek to get such criminal records expunged. To read more about this issue view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2014-3-17-Consumers-Rights-with-Background-Screening.html
Tenant Screening Companies Make Complex Task Easy
Performing tenant background checks prior to leasing can be a complicated and frustrating task for the small landlord. This task however can become quite simple if the landlord used a professional tenant screening company to help vet potential renters. Professional tenant screening companies like TenantScreeningUSA.com make the whole vetting process very simple and provides the credit and criminal history to the landlord in easy to read reports making the leasing decision easier to make. For a modest fee it is very wise for the small landlord to use a professional tenant screening company to help determine who and who not to rent too. TenantScreeningUSA.com makes a normally complex task very easy and gets the appropriate information to the landlord without compromising the privacy and personally identifiable information of the renter. To learn more about how tenant screening companies make the tenant background check process easier read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/third-party-tenant-background-screening-companies-help-make-a-complex-task-easy/
Good Tenant Screening Protects Landlord and Applicant
FCRA compliant tenant screening is good for both the landlord and rental applicant. Using a professional third party tenant screening company to vet potential renters is a wise decision for landlords and property managers. A third party background screening company offering professional tenant checks has to comply with Federal Law and other laws governing the background screening industry. A credit report is a private record that requires consent from the potential renter in order for the landlord to access this information. Although criminal records are public records they are still sensitive information that a landlord should get permission for before placing criminal checks. This is currently a required step for using criminal records in the employment screening process. The FCRA and Federal Trade Commission are looking out for the average American renter while the landlord is looking to rent to a low risk well qualified tenant. This balancing act helps both landlords and potential renters. To learn more about how good tenant screening protects both landlord and renter read recent TenantScreeningUSA.com press release: http://tenantscreeningusa.com/tenant-screening-news/protections-for-tenant-screening-and-applicants/
Are Post Hire Background Checks Necessary?
Currently in the USA running post-hire background checks is certainly not the norm. However, some companies and organizations have an employment screening policy that requires ongoing criminal background checks. This is definitely the case with jobs that deal with at-risk populations like children and the elderly. Most companies perform a criminal background check in the employment screening process, but once the candidate is hired no future background checks are required. This is the case because most companies think that if an employee gets in trouble with the law they would find out as the person may have to go to jail or be denied civil liberties like having a driver’s license. However, having an ongoing employment screening policy that allows for periodic criminal background checks could catch problematic situations before they materialize in the workplace. The debate is national and right now there are good reasons for have an ongoing employment screening policy but also good reasons why for some employers it is an unnecessary cost and function. One thing is certain, if an employee deals with at-risk populations it definitely makes sense to perform routine ongoing background checks to help protect those that cannot protect themselves. To read more about this issue view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2014-2-13-Post-Hire-Background-Checks.html