What to Include in Your Company’s Screening Policy

A well-defined background screening policy is more than a best practice — it’s a crucial foundation for consistent, compliant, and risk-mitigating hiring. Whether you’re building a new policy or refining an existing one, outlining how and why you conduct background checks helps protect your organization, ensure fairness, and demonstrate due diligence across every hire. At Confirmify, we support businesses in developing clear, actionable screening policies that align with legal standards and organizational goals.

Why a Screening Policy Matters

Having a formal screening policy benefits your company in several key ways:

Consistency – It ensures every candidate is treated equally and screened according to role-specific requirements.
Compliance – A policy helps you stay aligned with federal and state regulations, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Risk Management – By defining what checks are required and when, you reduce the likelihood of negligent hiring and liability.
Transparency – Candidates are more likely to trust your hiring process when the steps are clearly communicated and fairly applied.

Without a documented policy, background checks can become inconsistent or legally vulnerable, especially as your team grows or hiring processes are distributed across departments.

Core Elements of an Effective Screening Policy

An effective screening policy should be tailored to your business and industry, but generally includes the following elements:

Policy Purpose and Scope
Define the objective of the screening policy and which roles or departments it applies to (e.g., all full-time employees, contractors, volunteers, or specific high-trust positions).
Types of Background Checks Conducted
Specify what types of checks are used, such as:
- Criminal records
- Identity verification
- Employment and education verification
- Motor vehicle records (MVR)
- Credit history (if applicable)
- Drug testing (if required)
When Checks Are Performed
Indicate whether checks are conducted pre-employment only, or if re-screening is performed periodically (e.g., annually or during role changes).
Decision Criteria
Outline how screening results are evaluated, including any disqualifying factors, and emphasize that hiring decisions comply with relevant anti-discrimination laws.
Consent and Candidate Rights
Clarify that written consent will be obtained prior to any background check, and that candidates have the right to review and dispute their report as required by the FCRA.
Data Privacy and Retention
Explain how screening data is stored, who has access to it, and how long it is retained in compliance with data privacy laws.

Legal Compliance and Best Practices

A screening policy must align with both federal and local laws. Here’s how to ensure yours does:

Follow FCRA Requirements
Always obtain written authorization before screening and use a compliant pre-adverse/adverse action process when making decisions based on results.
Comply with State & Local Laws
Some states have specific restrictions on what information can be reported, and cities may limit the use of credit history or criminal records. Confirmify helps you navigate these nuances with location-aware compliance tools.
Avoid Blanket Policies
Disqualifying candidates solely based on criminal history, without considering the nature of the offense and its relevance to the role, may violate EEOC guidelines.
Keep It Up to Date
Your screening policy should be reviewed annually and adjusted as laws, job requirements, or company operations evolve.

Having a policy isn’t enough — you need to apply it consistently and maintain records that show compliance and fair application throughout your hiring process.

Why Choose Confirmify?

At Confirmify, we don’t just provide background checks — we help you build a smarter, more defensible hiring process. With turnaround times as fast as 8 hours and most checks completed in under 3 days, our clients experience 30–50% faster screening than their previous providers. We make it simple to set screening standards for different roles, stay compliant with FCRA and local laws, and update your policies as your business grows. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your internal procedures, Confirmify is your trusted partner for accurate, compliant, and scalable screening policies.

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