Feature Spotlight: Integrated, Paperless Background Checks

Fully integrated, seamless, paperless background checks solve a real problem for employers.

The research we conducted prior to designing Newton’s background check integration functionality confirmed what we had experienced as recruiting leaders for the past decade, pre-employment screening processes are typically inefficient and often pose unnecessary risks. Having been in the trenches, our team understands that applicant tracking software marks the beginning of the talent chain and there are important processes that should be integrated seamlessly to improve efficiency, create transparency and keep employers safe and compliant.  To date, the majority of applicant tracking software vendors have treated integrations as an afterthought, forcing users to clunky integration pages and even insisting on batch data dumps. With Newton real-time integrated background checks, we’ve made the entire process efficient, paperless, smart and everything is processed in a real-time environment.

Newton Software is dedicated to making background checks simple, smart and safe.

With this feature we’ve productized and systematized background checks for small and medium-sized employers. As such, we built a sophisticated, real-time update, audit and exception management tool inside of Newton. And, for the fulfillment end, we carefully selected vendors (our preferred partners) that have the technology today to connect with Newton seamlessly and are willing and able to provide the services exemplary levels Newton customers have come to expect. This not only makes background checks simple to initiate, it also makes the entire process safer for employers by shifting the requests for sensitive data (DOB, SNN#, Lic #s, etc) to background check providers, the experts. Newton provides the platform and the audit capabilities in real-time for every background check requested, started and completed (or not completed) taking one of Newton’s key differentiators, transparency, to the next level.

Here is how it works.

First, here’s some context. By working with a select group background check providers we’ve gone beyond the industry-standard integration.

Simple. Any user can request a check, in about 1 second and integration takes just 3 minutes.

Smart. Only select people on your staffing Team can submit the check to a provider (no more wasted money on unnecessary checks!). All your checks are in one dashboard, and the dashboard is updated automatically by our providers.

Safe. You do NOT need to capture all that scary information, like Social Security Number. Our partners do it for you.

1. Set up and get started the same day

HR determines who on your team is allowed to submit background check requests to your provider. Any User may “request” a background check. This will alert your designated approvers (HR).

One click and anyone can request a background check. Remember, this is sent to an approval manager in HR before it goes to your vendor.

Now, one of your approval managers can actually submit the background check request to the vendor. This will start the actual background check process.

2. Submit a check without a release form. No paper. No risks.

Newton’s integrated preferred partners need first name, last name and email. They care of the rest. No Need to send around that PDF of paper release form. And, you can even initiate different types of checks like drug tests and credit checks with one click.

3. Track progress and receive granular updates.

Now employers finally have a dashboard for background checks to check status at a glance. The data on this screen is automatically updated by your selected preferred background check partner.

Background check providers provide realtime updates and status summaries. When the check is complete, you’ll get a link to view the report on a secure site.

4. Log in and pick up your report.

Access a secure connection to pick up and review the background check.

Our team remains obsessed with building technology that makes hiring easier.

The team at Newton Software continues to be obsessed with improving the areas of hiring that have been the hardest for employers to optimize like hiring manager collaboration and decision making, easy job approvals, at-a-glance recruiting performance indicators, automated applicant notifications and now, pre-employment screens. Future releases will tackle enhanced scheduling tools, maximizing employee referrals and even on-boarding.

For a video on our background check feature, please visit our YouTube Channel here.

 

Media: Safe Hiring Discussion on The Proactive Employer

Above is a re-broadcast of  a recent episode of The Proactive Employer dedicated to the topic of safe hiring. This is an hour long show hosted by risk management expert Dr. Stephanie Thomas with guests Les Rosen, the CEO of Employment Screening Resources and our own Head of Marketing, Joel Passen. The conversation explores various topics like pre-employment screening, OFCCP compliance and applicant tracking software designed to facilitate compliance.

Topics include:

  • “Warm Body Philosophy” and why it’s dangerous
  • SAFE System policies and procedures overview
  • Legal Compliance practices – applicant screening “hotspots”
  • New EEOC guidance on use of criminal histories
  • The importance of reference checks
  • Applicant Tracking Software and OFCCP reporting
  • The integration of background checks and recruiting software
  • Interview process suggestions
  • Criminal background checks

The Safe Hiring Dream Team

Sometimes when I have a minute to sit and think about the people that I’ve met since we started Newton, I am humbled, really kind of amazed. If I were still in an HR or recruiting role, I would have any problem or question covered with a quick email or phone call.

So, today, as I was starting to put together some collateral  for our customers on resources for safe hiring, I sat back and looked at the experts that our clients have access to. It’s a safe hiring dream team.

Here is the starting forward line (it’s a hockey reference).

Starting Center

This week, Newton Software partnered with Employment Screening Resources  (ESR) to provide our customers with integrated background checks. ESR’s CEO is Les Rosen, a recognized expert in background screen. He, quite literally wrote the book on safe hiring. Les is also a frequent contributor to the ESRNEWS, the de facto news source for the background check industry

Catch Les on Newton’s upcoming webinar: Getting Started with Integrated Background Checks. Newton customers can register here.

Starting Wing

Another great partner of Newton and a wonderful resource for the HR community at large is Dr. Stephanie Thomas, is the Founder and CEO of Thomas Econometrics Inc., a firm specializing in quantitative solutions to complex, unstructured problems. She has provided economic and statistical consulting services to Fortune 500 companies, privately held businesses, and government agencies such as the Department of Justice and the FBI.

Stephanie is also the host of the popular podcast, The Proactive Employer, a resource for the latest news and commentary on workplace issues, HR best practices, employment litigation risk management and EEO and OFCCP compliance. The Proactive Employer focuses on issues of interest to HR professionals, compliance officers, corporate counsel, employment attorneys, expert consultants and others interested in workplace issues in the United States and around the world.

On a side note, The Proactive Employer will be hosting the Director of the OFCCP, Patricia Shiu on May 17th, 2012 to discuss the Department of Labor’s goal of “Good Jobs For Everyone” and how her Agency—OFCCP—is working to achieve that goal.  More to come on this.

Starting Wing

This week we’re also adding Carla Irwin to our cadre of partner experts. Carla is the founder and managing partner of Carla Irwin and Associates,  a firm that specializes in developing and implementing Affirmative Action Programs (AAP) for Federal Contractors. With clients ranging from small business to Fortune 100 corporations, Carla and her team supplement their  clients’ human resources functions with in-depth AAP knowledge and expert systems.

The team at Newton Software is obsessed with improving the areas of hiring that have been the hardest for employers to optimize. And, like fixing the problems that always seem to be overlooked or just accepted, we’re also always promoting the concepts of safe hiring. That is, we’re always looking for ways that our popular applicant tracking software can create and reinforce processes to help reduce the risks faced by our HR constituents.