Instant Clear Background Checks Create Complex Problems for Employers

Employer have been asking about instant clear background checks lately, and we wanted to take a minute to explain why this is a service Workplace Safety Screenings does not offer.

An instant clear is a background check that searches one of the national databases immediately. If the applicant’s name does not appear in the records database, the applicant is considered cleared for hiring. However, instant information is never comprehensive and rarely accurate, causing more problems than it’s worth.

Firstly, if you buy a background check from WSS, the entry level search includes a check of four distinct records databases—the current county of residence, the National Criminal Search Index (NCSI), the social security trace, and the sex offender list check. This specific screening protocol was designed by our background check provider with more than 20 years of experience in background checks and private investigation because no single database holds all the information.

Additionally, matching an applicant with a criminal record by name only produces potentially infinite problems. In your lifetime, you have met one or more persons with a name similar to yours. In a recent kindergarten graduation of a class of 13, there were two children named Titus and two Paisleys. How then can you expect your applicant’s name to be linked to their criminal activity alone? This instant clear can lead to both false positives and false negatives, inhibiting the best hiring decisions.

If you want to make the best hiring decisions with the most accurate information, avoid an instant clear background check. And, an entry level background checks takes only 24 hours—it’s worth the wait.

Questions on other instant services, such as instant oral fluids testing or instant (urinalysis)? Check out our recent piece on Drug Testing Methodologies.