PBSA Accreditation
Less than 9% of all background check companies have been accredited by the by the PBSA, the Professional Background Screeners Association. DataScreening is one of them. To become accredited, background check companies must pass a rigorous onsite audit, conducted by an independent auditing firm, meticulously going over all of it’s policies and procedures in 6 critical areas:
- Information Security
- Client Education
- Verification Services
- Legal & Compliance
- Researcher & Data Standards
- Business Practices
Compliance
One of the most important reasons to use an accredited background check company is for compliance. Many companies are out of compliance when it comes to background checks, and they don’t even know it. That is usually because the background check company that they use isn’t knowledgeable about regulations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, or they simply did not inform the company of their legal FCRA obligations when doing employment background checks. By using an accredited company, you can be assured that they are in full compliance and they will be able to advise you as to how and why certain processes are performed to help you avoid any legal violations.
Business Practices / Accuracy
How a background check company obtains it information and how it presents it to a company can be drastically different. Knowing that you are using a background check company is accredited means they have gone through a rigorous audit process to ensure their methods will provide you with the most accurate and the most up to date records as possible. False information and even too much information provided to a company as a background check, can lead to improper hiring decisions and even legal action for the employer.
Data Security
Part of the accreditation process is a detailed audit of the data security, process and storage methods. A background check company must demonstrate, in writing and in real time, the highest security measures in regards to: system configuration, anti-virus, firewall, and router configuration, encryption and password protection, access control, electronic & paper data retention, storage, and disposal, as well as the physical security. This ensures all data and processes are secure and well protected with extreme security standards in place.