Lisa Wendling
On behalf of First Advantage
651.789.1275
lisa@kohnstamm.com

Relationship Between Job Applicants’ Criminal Histories and Hiring Practices Examined in Nationwide Survey by First Advantage
Poll of customers indicates confusion in the area of criminal background checks

ATLANTA –October 1, 2014 – First Advantage, a Symphony Technology Group (STG) company and the leading global provider of background screening analytics and identity solutions, today announced the findings of a recent survey focused on its current United States customer base’s tendencies related to criminal background checks. Of note were findings regarding applicants’ criminal histories and hiring trends toward those applicants.

According to this nationwide study of First Advantage customers:

· 37 percent of companies report being unsure about when to order a federal criminal search versus a county search.
· 38 percent of companies don’t understand the difference between a database search and county courthouse search.
· 45 percent of companies report they have candidates that require criminal background checks in multiple countries.
· 43 percent of companies report the major risks of not screening are potential legal action and damage to their brand reputation.

In general, a common perception held by many is that having a criminal background – a population that includes an estimated 70 million U.S. adults according to the U.S. census bureau – precludes a person from being hired, which is often not the case. A wave of “ban-the-box” laws have recently been enacted in various states and municipalities, banning the practice of asking job candidates to mark on applications whether or not they have been convicted of a felony offense. In late August, New Jersey became the 13th state to enact a “ban-the-box” restriction on job applications.

More from First Advantage’s survey:

· 79 percent of companies surveyed report they do not yet ban the box, meaning they still ask applicants if they have a criminal history on the application.
· 58 percent indicate having hired someone with a criminal background.
· 96 percent report that they turn away less than 25 percent of candidates due to something in their background screen.

“Clients see the major risks with not doing appropriate background screening,” said Theresa Preg, First Advantage senior director of product management. “There is often confusion about the types of searches in the U.S. alone, and conducting global screens adds to this complexity. Our job at First Advantage is to make the process as easy as possible when making their trust decisions.”

The survey, conducted by research platform TechValidate on behalf of First Advantage, received over 700 responses from users at Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, the federal government, educational institutions, and small and medium-sized businesses. The study was convened between July and August 2014. First Advantage is also making a “It’s a Crime!” white paper available online for free download.

About First Advantage
First Advantage provides comprehensive background screening, identity and information solutions that give employers and housing providers access to actionable information that results in faster, more accurate people decisions. With an advanced global technology platform and superior customer service delivered by experts who understand local markets, First Advantage helps customers around the world build fully scalable, configurable screening programs that meet their unique needs. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., First Advantage has offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. More information about First Advantage can be accessed at www.fadv.com. 

About Symphony Technology Group
Symphony Technology Group (STG) is a strategic private equity firm with the mission of investing in and being a partner in building great software and services companies. In addition to capital, STG provides transformation expertise to enable its portfolio companies to deliver more value to clients to retain and attract the best talent and to achieve best-in-class business performance. All STG portfolio companies are expected to grow through innovation. STG’s current portfolio consists of 12 global companies with combined revenue of approximately $2.5 billion and thousands of employees spread across North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.symphonytg.com. Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners.

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