A contractor is defined as any individual that is not directly employed by an organization but undertakes a contract to complete a service or job. The screening practices for this type of individual should be completed differently than an employee because traditional supervision, direct relationships, and other requirements don’t exist in this situation. There are a few best practices that can help an organization mitigate risk and reduce the potential for operational and reputational damage. Managing the contractor background screening program should include: properly verifying the person’s identity for accurate screening results, conducting criminal and driver record searches to understand if the individual poses a risk, following an appeal process to offer the individual being screened an opportunity to explain results before a decision is made and continued criminal monitoring after the initial background check.
