Summer is on the horizon, and its surge of activities calls for seasonal hires to fill additional roles that emerge during this busy season. As demand heats up faster than the weather, many businesses turn to the younger workforce to fill these roles—a mutually beneficial practice that pairs companies seeking temporary workers with job seekers looking for short-term roles.
When it comes to temporary hires, there’s a common misconception that background screening isn’t needed, especially for minors. However, there are several reasons to screen young adults and teenagers for seasonal jobs, despite the typically short employment duration:
A cost-effective solution for smart, fair, and compliant hiring is a great way for businesses to maximize their seasonal hiring venture. Let’s go over some guidance, considerations, and best practices to help pick the right screening solution, so you can budget the appropriate time, resources, and screening depth for your younger seasonal hires.
There are unique legal requirements, ethical concerns, and practical considerations associated with conducting background checks on underage candidates applying for seasonal roles. In this case, “acceptable” screening parameters would be background check items that are both legally and practically obtainable. For example, most minors don’t have a credit history yet, so a credit report isn’t valid, regardless of legality or relevance. So, what can you screen for?
It’s important to remember that compliance requirements can have different outcomes when applied to minors. Ban the Box laws that prohibit inquiries into juvenile records essentially prevent employers from obtaining any criminal record on an underage individual, for example. However, because the individual may have been tried as an adult, conducting criminal record searches is still encouraged.
The FCRA requires written consent from a candidate before initiating a background check, but state laws differ on whether teens are legally allowed to give consent and enter into binding contracts. In addition to seeking clarity on state and local laws regarding minor consent, it’s also encouraged to obtain parental consent before screening a minor.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Employment background screening for minors is governed by a layered system of federal law (FCRA, EEOC guidance), state juvenile-privacy laws, and child labor regulations. Employers must comply with the most restrictive rule that applies.
There are a couple of factors that may cause reporting on a minor or younger adult to yield fewer results than the average candidate:
It’s reasonable to expect background check results for younger applicants to be a little different than those of more seasoned employees, but don’t let that possibility discourage you from following through with a legitimate screening process.
To help with budget, time management, and candidate experience, try narrowing down the scope of your seasonal hire background checks to only what is necessary for the role. A motor vehicle report may be relevant for a delivery driver role, but it’s probably not needed for a data entry role, for example. Customizing your screening process to meet your specific needs can be easy and affordable when you work with a trusted background screening partner, like Verified Credentials.
The standard employee protections that employers must comply with for all hires, as well as the requirements specific to minors, can be a lot to keep up with when you’re trying to focus on hiring and onboarding staff. Partnering with a certified, reliable background screening partner helps ensure you’re staying in compliance throughout the screening and decision-making process.
Additionally, it’s important to note that teenagers and young adults are usually inexperienced with the hiring process, so they may be approaching the situation with nervousness and confusion. If your organization’s application and screening experience is difficult, tedious, and stressful, you could be leaving budding members of the workforce with a negative first experience and an undesirable impression of your business.
Instead, consider incorporating a service that provides streamlined, mobile-first technology and an easy-to-use platform to enhance the experience for both candidates and hiring managers. Learn more about how Verified Credentials checks those boxes with our:
Keeping up with background screening-related legislation, especially items that may apply to screening minors, is essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring a fair, lawful hiring process. Our Industry News resource can help you stay informed with the latest in background screening compliance. For even more prompt updates straight to your inbox, subscribe to our HR Industry Newsletter.
The content above is for informational purposes only. Please consult with your legal counsel to determine your organization’s background screening compliance requirements.