LATEST POSTS

Last week we explained the BPSS check. This week we'll be taking a look at the checks for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In order to ensure that the financial markets run fairly, honestly and efficiently, the FCA regulates over 60,000 organisations. As such, the FCA requires anyone in the financial sector who holds a position of authority to become "approved". This approved person function isn't limited to building societies and banks like you might think. It also includes insurance…

BPSS checks: The essentials The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is a set of government checks mostly for members of the civil service. It's also for the military, government contractors, and everyone who will have access to government material. This post aims to give some advice on What the Baseline Personnel Security Standard really isCompliance with requirements for organisations that have access to Personal Securities Network (PSN) servicesThe benefits of including the BPSS requirements for your company's own employment screening…

Blockchain and Background Screening: The Implications If you're a believer, blockchain technology will revolutionize the banking process and the way we use currency. It may even revolutionize the essence of the commercial contract itself. Oh, and perhaps the background screening industry too, The blockchain essentially acts as a ledger. The blockchain tracks anything I buy or sell - and it can therefore establish ownership and provenance.  Through this, we can avoid dubious objects. The chance of the database being hacked…

COVID-19 crisis: A step towards new saving trends? People of every kind have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Jobs have been lost, salaries have lowered and many of us have had our personal savings severely damaged. As lockdown continues to be loosened and we are beginning to enter the “new normal,” people’s attention is turning away from health risks to economic implications. And it’s very clear that everyone has been impacted financially. A report from the latest Moneyfacts UK…

THE CLASS OF ‘2020’ – DON’T LET A FLAWED GRADING SYSTEM DAMAGE YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS FURTHER [caption id="attachment_2263" align="alignnone" width="558"] Photo: The Guardian[/caption]   In August 2020, the UK academic exam results grading system for A-Levels, GCSEs and other work-related qualifications (e.g. BTEC) was in complete turmoil. It started with A-Level students’ grades being determined by a questionable algorithm, which led to 40% of results being unjustly downgraded. Following a government U-turn, it was decided that grades should be based…

BS7858 has changed: here’s what you need to know The BS7858 lays out requirements for companies performing background screening for employees in a secure environment. It has been changed by the British Standards Institution (BSI). BS7858:2019 replaced the BS7858:2012 in September 2019, with the  BSI withdrawing the 2012 version fully on March 31, 2020. The BSI offers a more detailed explanation in their BSI Standards Publication.  Purchase it from them here. Recently, there has been a lot of confusion and…

Care worker background checks considered being relaxed as antivirus strategy. According to the Nursing Times, emergency planning is being conducted. This is to limit the potential impact of a severe COVID-19 outbreak in the UK social care sector. As a result, former social care workers who are seeking to return to the industry may have their criminal record checks relaxed. Furthermore, staff may potentially be relocated to places where the coronavirus impact is more severe. “It must be recognised that…

Social Media Screening: A guide for HR If you're a hiring manager, you’ll almost certainly be requesting candidate’s CVs, covering letters and their references – but is it common that you also ask for their social media info? Social media use has grown titanically and has had an explosive effect on society. HR departments have been forced to change the way they perform background screening. Despite this, the concern of privacy and legal implications has kept many employers from conducting…

Social Media: Fake profiles and seemingly legitimate information This article illustrates just how easy it can be for people to create fake social media profiles. Even with information that seems completely legitimate, however. Read the article to find out how an overconfident CEO and a motivated PA managed to teach an entire business an important lesson in information security. It’s not every day you get challenged to hack a business leader. But when Jake Moore, a cyber security specialist at ESET, was…

Online Reputation Screening: A guide for SRA-regulated firms dealing with offensive communications online Our online and offline personas are increasingly converging. Furthermore, the spotlight is being shone on law firms and the online behaviour of their members. The SRA has recently updated its guidance. They warn “the same ethical obligations of professional conduct apply in an online environment”. We take a look at what this means in practice and how law firms can ensure compliance today. What online behaviour is…