Maryland Background Checks: What You Need to Know

All background screenings are not the same. It makes sense when you think about it. The type of screening you need to hire someone to work a cash register is quite different than if you're hiring someone to work with children, and it's easy to see why. Any time you are hiring a new employee, your background screening needs to be as inclusive as possible to ensure everyone's safety and security. This includes having them fingerprinted before they ever make it to day one of the new job.

There are a number of ways for employers to gather information on the background of an applicant for employment. More and more frequently, employers are hiring third parties like American Identity Solutions to conduct background checks on applicants who have been offered employment. Would you hire a delivery driver with a long history or DUIs? Would you hire a daycare worker with a past arrest for neglecting a child? These are all things you as the employer want to know and deserve to know. By fingerprinting someone and running a check, you will be told information like their past, past arrests, and whether they're on a database that means they aren't fit for employment.

There are often legal limits on employers obtaining and using this type of information. We don't expect you to know all about this- that's why we're here! When employers hire a third party to conduct a background check or to obtain reports from outside agencies, such reports are subject to state laws. Here in Maryland, employers must comply with laws concerning arrests and convictions Effective February 29, 2020, employers with 15 or more employees are prohibited from requiring a job applicant to disclose his or her criminal history before the applicant’s first in-person interview (MD Labor & Empl. Code Sec. 3-1501). An employer may require disclosure during the first in-person interview. That's where we can get involved. If you decide they're a good fit and move forward, be sure to send them to any of our four locations in:

• Rockville MD

• Germantown MD

• Silver Springs MD

• Bethesda MD

All of our Fingerprint Technicians are certified, and have been subject to State and Federal fingerprint-based background checks. Our business is never outsourced to anyone else so we can ensure all client information is maintained securely and confidentially by our own personnel.

Being a business owner is scary! A single bad hire can have a significant impact on your business and reputation. Did you know that over 60% of all job application information is "stretched" in some way to earn the employers approval? The importance of a comprehensive background check cannot be overstated. When you're ready to hire, bring on the services of American Identity Solutions to help you make the right decision and feel good about it. We serve the entire Bethesda, MD, Rockville, MD, Germantown, MD, and Silver Springs, MD community.