Background Check Turnaround Time an Issue for Jails

Turnaround times for background checks are an important issue for employers.  Human Resources manager are anxious to onboard new hires and get them into the pipeline.   Background checks are sometimes streamlined or sidelines altogether in order to fulfill a hiring need.   A recent article about Luzerne County Correctional Facility is a lesson in what not to do.    The warden admitted that in at least four situations, employees were put to work before their background checks were returned.  And the background checks arrived on average of 56 days after the employee’s first day of work.   Also, the background check results were claimed to provide little information beyond what is already available online.   They appear to be using an public access Pennsylvania terminal for their criminal records checks, and handwritten interview questions for their education verifications and employment verifications.