Pre-employment background checks have become a standard practice for most companies.  The new trend in the background screening industry is to rescreen current employees or have continuous monitoring.  A large number of companies have started some form of monitoring or periodic background checks on existing employees.  Uber is one of the most high-profile companies that plans to conduct continuous background checks.  No matter the size of the company, the importance is the same. 

Why is rescreening, monitoring or periodic background checks a good idea?  Even the best employee can have situations change in their life whether it be lifestyle, personal or financial.  These changes can impact an employees’ behavior and cause a disruption in the workplace.  The trend is expanding to sectors such as manufacturing, retail, government and public school systems.  There is no set standard for rescreening employees.  Some companies choose to rescreen once a year, while others monitor on a regular basis. 

Compliance is a big factor when considering a rescreening program.  It is important to be aware of the guidelines set forth by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  Authorization and disclosures used for pre-employment screening background checks still apply to the rescreens or monitoring.  In order to run the background checks throughout the person’s employment, the authorization form must clearly state this information, otherwise you will to provide a new notice each and every time before a background check is performed.  The employee also must have the opportunity to dispute derogatory information. 

The background screening process shouldn’t stop upon hire.  As previously stated, employers must take the initiative to identify the potential problems before it is too late.  Annual background checks will be standard practices in the new few years especially with increased hiring of consultants and contractors.  Pre-employment and post-employment screening is more important now than ever to protect your business, employees and associates.