As an employer, you must make fast, well-informed hiring decisions to effectively meet your workforce needs.
By integrating your background checks with your applicant tracking system (ATS), you can increase operational efficiency, reduce time to hire, and avoid bad hiring choices.
At iprospectcheck, we offer integrations with many applicant tracking systems to provide fast, comprehensive, and FCRA-compliant background checks.
This guide explains what ATS background checks are and the benefits they offer.
Key Takeaways
- An ATS background check integration connects your screening process directly to your applicant tracking system so that you receive results directly in your system, thus simplifying the process.
- Common checks included in an ATS background check are criminal history checks, employment verification, education verification, professional license verification, drug testing, and MVR checks.
- Benefits of integrating background checks into your ATS include cost savings, a faster hiring process, consistency in your hiring pipeline, increased accuracy and reduced errors, increased candidate engagement, simplified compliance, centralized workflow, enhanced security, and scalability.
- Best practices include creating a thorough policy, choosing the right ATS, partnering with the right background check provider, testing the integration, ensuring your ATS background checks comply with all relevant laws, reviewing results, individually assessing convictions, completing the adverse action steps (when necessary), and monitoring and refining the process.
What is ATS Background Check Integration?
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are software applications companies use to recruit employees efficiently and manage hiring processes.
They are especially popular with companies that engage in high-volume recruiting but are beneficial for organizations of all sizes.
You can use an ATS to post job openings, scan resumes, send interview requests, and track individual applicants.
Since an ATS automates these processes, it greatly improves hiring efficiency.
When you integrate background checks with your ATS, your system is connected to your chosen screening service.
The integration allows you to directly initiate a background check from the ATS, receive results in the same platform, and automate your recruitment and hiring workflows.
Automation speeds the hiring process and improves candidate experience.
What Checks Are Included in ATS Integration?
An ATS background check should fully investigate your candidates’ history and return information relevant to the position you are hiring for.
Typical searches in an ATS background check include:
Criminal History Checks
Criminal history checks reveal whether an applicant has a criminal conviction or pending charge and show the following information:
- Criminal case number
- Offense date
- Offense nature
- Offense severity (misdemeanor or felony)
- Disposition and disposition date
- Sentence information (if available)
Including a criminal history search in your ATS background check allows you to look for potentially disqualifying offenses that could place your company at risk.
Employment Verification
Employment verification reports the following details about a candidate’s current and former jobs:
- Employer name(s)/address(es)
- Employment dates with each company
- Job titles/positions held
Verifying employment enables you to confirm an applicant’s employment and experience claims.
Education Verification
Education verification discloses the following information about a candidate’s educational history:
- Institution name(s)/address(es)
- Enrollment dates
- Degrees/diplomas conferred
Verifying a candidate’s education confirms whether they have the qualifications necessary to perform the job and have been honest on their resume.
Professional License Verification
For credentialed positions, professional license verification shows the following information about a candidate’s license or certification:
- License validity
- License number
- Licensee’s name
- License type
- Issuance date
- Issuing authority
- Expiration date
- Public discipline/sanctions
This search helps you confirm that they have the qualifications needed to work in a credentialed position.
Drug Testing and Health Screenings
An ATS background check integrates drug testing and health screenings so that they can be initiated once the candidate has reached the final stage of the hiring process.
Once the candidate completes the test, the results will automatically be returned to the ATS, which updates the candidate’s profile accordingly.
Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Checks
If your company hires drivers, an MVR check included in your ATS background check reveals the following information about an applicant’s driver’s license and history:
- License validity
- License class
- Issuance date
- Issuing state
- License number
- Licensee’s full legal name
- Registered address
- Traffic violations
- Major traffic offenses
- Expiration date
- Revocations/suspensions
The results will automatically appear in the candidate’s profile and allow you to determine their driving safety and ability to be insured.
Know Before You Hire
Benefits of ATS Background Check Integration for Employers
Integrating background checks with your company’s ATS offers the following benefits:
1. Cost Savings
Reduced labor and error-related expenses are tied to a strong ROI, making it a smart investment.
Integrating background checks with your ATS reduces multiple costs.
Your HR personnel will be freed up from performing repetitive manual tasks, which allows your company to reduce the associated labor costs.
Since your HR staff will be free to focus on other important activities to support your company instead of dealing with tedious aspects of performing background checks, your integration will also help to increase productivity and provide a stronger return on investment (ROI).
2. Faster Hiring Process
Integration automates your background checks and eliminates the need for manual data entry and platform switching.
Your HR personnel can initiate an ATS background check with one click from within your applicant tracking system.
Automated ATS background checks significantly speed up the hiring process by streamlining screenings and reducing manual workload. Some reports will return within minutes, and others will appear in your ATS within a few days.
The speed of your reports enables your hiring team to decide whether to move forward with a candidate or choose another one if the first one didn’t meet expectations.
Reducing time-to-hire is critical when you need to tap top talent quickly before they move on to another opportunity.
3. Consistency in Your Hiring Pipeline
Using a single third-party ATS background check provider with your applicant tracking system helps you understand your screening results because they will be more consistent.
With ATS integration, your candidate’s background checks upload directly into their profile, making it easy for you to see and understand their results.
4. Boosts Accuracy and Reduces Errors
Staff can make mistakes when manually entering data, which can result in inaccurate background checks.
Mistakes can be introduced in the following ways:
- Data entry errors
- Misfiled documents
- Misreading the applicant’s handwriting
These errors can lead to delays, inaccurate reports, and compliance problems.
ATS background checks increase accuracy because they minimize human error. These systems automate data entry, data transfer, and validation to ensure the results’ consistency, readability, and accuracy so that your screening results are always reliable.
5. Enhances the Candidate Experience
A seamless process reflects professionalism and keeps applicants engaged and impressed.
Providing a good candidate experience is vital in a competitive job market. When you’re hiring, you need to show your candidates that you respect their time.
Those who feel valued by experiencing a smooth, fast hiring process are more likely to become loyal, productive employees instead of moving on to competitors.
6. Simplifies Compliance
ATS background checks simplify compliance with federal laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Title VII, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (FCA), and relevant state and local laws.
With ATS integration, providing disclosures, obtaining consent, and maintaining records are automated. The legal requirements are incorporated into the process.
7. Centralizes Your Workflow
When you integrate background checks into your ATS, you can benefit from being able to manage job postings, review applications, schedule interviews, and complete screenings in a single platform.
This simplifies your HR team’s oversight process.
At iprospectcheck, we understand that your workflow is unique and design our onboarding and ATS background check integrations to work seamlessly with your existing system.
Your staff won’t have to toggle between systems to view the results, and your company will be better able to assess analytics for its HR processes and have transparent views of the entire hiring process and each candidate’s status.
8. Scales with Your Business
ATS background check integrations are flexible and handle growing hiring volumes. As your company grows, the integration will still effortlessly handle your needs.
9. Secures Sensitive Data
Secure APIs like those used by iprospectcheck use cutting-edge encryption technology to keep your candidates’ information safe.
Advanced security technology safeguards private data and reduces the risk of data breaches.
Best Practices for ATS Background Check Integration
1. Create a Thorough Policy
Whenever you intend to implement background checks at your organization, you should first create a thorough policy that adheres to all federal, state, and local background check laws.
Include the legal requirements for conducting background checks and what HR staff’s responsibilities are before, during, and after running them.
2. Choose the Right ATS
Choose a good applicant tracking system for your business. The software should have good reviews and integrate with your existing systems.
Make sure to understand the ATS and what it offers before making a purchasing decision.
3. Partner With a Reliable Provider
At iprospectcheck, our secure API integrates with many applicant tracking systems and is compatible with popular ATS platforms, including:
- Jobvite
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- KRONOS
- newton
- IBM KeneXa
- Bullhorn
- NEOGOV
- SAP SuccessFactors
- Workday
- icims
- UltiPro
- Ceridian
Our background checks are fast, accurate, comprehensive, and legally compliant.
4. Test the Integration
Once you choose an ATS background check provider, schedule a test run to ensure the data flows smoothly and that you can easily access the results.
Be sure to ask any questions you might have. We are always available when you need help.
5. Ensure Your ATS Checks Comply With Federal and State Laws
Your background checks must comply with the FCRA, Title VII, the FCA, and state and local laws.
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Under the FCRA, your background check provider can’t report the following information when it’s older than seven years and the job pays less than $75,000:
- Arrests not leading to convictions
- Paid tax liens
- Debt collections
- Civil lawsuits
- Civil judgments
- Chapter 13 bankruptcies (Chapter 7 bankruptcies can be reported for 10 years)
The FCRA’s time restriction doesn’t apply to convictions, but some state laws might prevent them from being reported when they are older.
The FCRA also includes notice and consent requirements. You must notify applicants that you conduct background checks and obtain their consent before initiating them. Your ATS should handle the notice and consent requirements for you.
When you receive results that make you want to deny employment, you must complete the FCRA adverse action process before making a final decision.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, you should individually assess convictions based on the job’s requirements and workplace safety concerns before deciding not to hire someone based on that information.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act applies to federal agencies and companies holding or seeking federal contracts.
Under this law, you must wait until after you make a conditional job offer before completing a criminal background check.
Numerous state and local laws might apply. Check with legal counsel about the laws that might apply to your company.
At iprospectcheck, we stay up-to-date with the laws to help our clients maintain compliance.
6. Review and Communicate Results
Once the results of a background check appear in your candidate’s profile, review them closely.
If you want to move forward, communicate the results and schedule onboarding.
If you are concerned about the information you learn about a candidate, complete the following steps as applicable:
7. Individually Assess Convictions
Don’t treat a conviction as an automatic bar to employment.
To comply with Title VII, assess the conviction as it relates to the job and workplace safety before making a final employment decision.
8. Follow the Adverse Action Process When Necessary
If you want to deny employment to an applicant based on information you learn from a background check, complete the adverse action steps:
- Send a pre-adverse action notice to the applicant and include a copy of the report that contains the information you are concerned about.
- Give the applicant a reasonable time to respond. They can provide evidence that the information is erroneous or that they have been rehabilitated. A reasonable response time is considered to be five business days.
- Send a final adverse action notice to the candidate if you decide not to hire them. Include a copy of their FCRA rights and any relevant state laws.
9. Monitor and Optimize
Track metrics with your ATS background checks, including time-to-fill and time-to-hire.
Analyze the results and refine and optimize your hiring process as necessary.
iprospectcheck: Your Integrated ATS Background Check Provider of Choice
Integrating background checks with your ATS simplifies hiring and keeps candidates engaged in the process.
An ATS background check reduces errors, speeds up your hiring process, and helps you maintain compliance.
To learn more about our ATS background checks and available integrations, contact us today for a free quote: (888) 509-1979.
DISCLAIMER: The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult your counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.
FAQs
Is ATS integration compliant with privacy laws?
Yes, ATS integration is compliant with privacy laws. At iprospectcheck, our API is highly secure and uses advanced security protocols.
We also comply with all federal, state, and local background check laws to help you maintain compliance.
Can small businesses benefit from ATS background check integration?
Companies of all sizes can benefit from ATS background checks since they streamline your recruitment and hiring process, are secure, increase accuracy, and reduce overall costs.
