As the sun sets on another eventful year, savvy HR leaders are already looking ahead to ensure their background screening programs are primed for success in 2025.
An effective background screening program doesn’t just support informed hiring decisions—it safeguards your organization’s reputation, builds trust, and creates a safe workplace.
I’ll walk through 8 key areas of your screening program that are important for annual review – as well as provide questions to ask yourself within each category:
So, let’s dive in and get your background screening program ready to shine in 2025!
1. Compliance Confirmation
- Does my program currently align with the latest FCRA, EEOC, Ban-the-Box and all state/local mandates?
- Have my consent forms and adverse action notices been updated with the newest legal statements?
- Could I benefit from having legal counsel review my policies to ensure full compliance?
2. Your Screening Metrics from the Last Year
- How did my volume counts compare to 2023? Were the total number of job candidates and individual screens/checks higher or lower than expected? Analyzing year-over-year trends can help you forecast and plan for likely volume changes in 2025. If volumes increased substantially, you may need to evaluate your staffing, vendor partnerships, or screening workflows to ensure timely, efficient processing.
- Which background checks did I utilize most often in 2024? Did I lean more heavily on certain screens versus others? Knowing your most common screening types allows you to optimize package offerings, ensure compliance, and allocate resources effectively. Were there any notable shifts in which checks you relied on more heavily compared to prior years? This could signal evolving organizational risks or role requirements.
- What percentage of my candidate screens resulted in disqualifying findings and adverse actions in 2024? Which specific findings tended to drive these the most? Identify the specific background check findings that most often led to these adverse decisions. High adverse action rates may warrant a deeper review of your risk thresholds, screening criteria, or adjudication processes.
3. Evolving Risks and Requirements Audit
- Do my current risk levels, screening packages and disqualifying criteria still reflect organizational needs for 2025?
- Have any regulatory expansions, new roles, or international growth created new gaps I should address?
- Am I fully screening for the latest risks like insider threats? (Example: Screening high-risk roles more extensively for fraud/deception/integrity red flags.)
4. Vendor Performance Evaluation
- How satisfied am I with my provider’s turnaround times, communication practices and security protocols in 2024?
- Are there areas I wish they would enhance or improve for 2025?
- Is now a good time to evaluate competitor screening service offerings?
5. Team Training Tune-Up
- When did my team last complete background screening compliance training?
- Do new hires thoroughly understand adverse action processes and interpreting criminal records?
- Could my staff benefit from an annual program overview refresher in 2025?
6. Incorporating New Innovations
- What cutting-edge advancements could boost efficiency in 2025, like AI-enabled checks or automated adjudication?
- Can enhanced candidate experience tech like online identity validation improve applications?
- Are there any new tools emerging that could help objectively assess candidates and reduce biases?
7. Formalizing Critical Policies
- Do I have definitive policies outlined for evaluating criminal histories and determining risk tolerance thresholds?
- Have I documented consistent adverse action appeal review and approval workflows?
- Do I have clear guidelines around information security and data destruction practices?
8. Ongoing Program Updates
- Have any new job roles been added or access privileges changed for existing roles since I last reviewed my screening program? If so, the criteria may need updating.
- Is there a defined process to propose tweaks or enhancements on how screening is conducted in 2025? This ensures the program adapts as risks change.
- Is there clear version tracking and documentation of changes made to background screening processes over time? This record-keeping helps assess what has been done.
9. BONUS: Navigating Immigration Challenges Under the Second Trump Administration: What Employers Need to Know
- As President-elect Trump’s administration prepares for a second term, employers should anticipate intensified changes to U.S. immigration policies and procedures.
- The administration is likely to push forward with stricter enforcement, increased procedural challenges, and policies aimed at reducing foreign labor reliance. Employers should begin preparing now for these imminent changes, particularly in areas such as: E-Verify and I-9 compliance.
- Employers should conduct internal audits to ensure that all immigration documentation, including E-Verify and I-9 forms is complete and up to date. Regular training for human resources teams on compliance practices and effective document retention strategies will help mitigate the risk of penalties. Employers should also consider investing in technology to streamline the I-9 process and improve overall compliance with evolving regulations.
Refreshing your background screening program may take some extra effort as the year wraps up, but this investment will set the stage for a more efficient, compliant, and resilient hiring process in 2025. By using this checklist as a roadmap, you’re not only staying ahead of potential challenges but also positioning your organization to attract top talent and build safer, stronger teams.
Here’s to making 2025 your best year yet for smart, streamlined screening and confident hiring decisions!