Background verification has become a staple in almost all industries, especially in the hiring phase. The procedure involves securing details, often sensitive information, with regard to a person or an entity. It could be in the form of employment history, criminal record history, educational background and a variety of other personal information. In light of this, data privacy in background verification comes of utmost importance and should be adhered to in any kind of verification procedure.
Imagine you collect a person’s sensitive data. Now that particular data point can be utilized in any manner, from unauthorized access to misuse of information. Thus, once you gather someone’s data, you are immediately met with a responsibility to use it for only the underlined purpose and keep only the essential information. Background verification is indeed indispensable for ensuring an organization’s safety and integrity alike. However, caution needs to be exercised regarding overzealous data collection that can put you under the regulatory lens.
Trusted BGV providers like Millow integrate secure handling pathways such as access controls and encryption to prevent unauthorized use of data. Transparency is paramount between organizations and employers, as it boosts trust between the two entities. Moreover, in the digital age, employers should embrace secure and sophisticated digital platforms for data storage and transmission to ensure privacy, safety, and security.
The GDPR is a legal framework that not just applies to companies in the European Union but also to those firms that have access to EU user data via an app, website or product. The key guidelines underlying EU data protection laws include transparency, data minimization, access rights, etc. This could translate to securing consent and informing the prospective candidates about the kind of personal information that is processed, along with collecting information that is only pertinent to the role.
Coming to the Indian landscape, the DPDP Act 2023 is a monumental law that emphasizes the right of individuals to safeguard their data as well as the importance of processing such sensitive data only for lawful purposes. Here is how the application of these laws will be implemented in background verification procedures.
For organizations hiring across boundaries, BGV providers are mandated to align with GDPR laws if EU citizen data is processed and Indian laws in parallel if the data transmits to or from India.
The first step to ensuring transparency is to draft a comprehensive consent form that lists the information that will be checked and why such details will be collected, along with the underlying purpose of data collection. Additionally, create a privacy note for the candidate so that he/she is made aware of the right to access, correct or delete if necessary.
The second important layer of security is to ensure that your partnering BGV service provider has a robust system that provides role-based access. Secure digital platforms with encrypted transmissions ensure that sensitive information is stored safely. Periodic audits add an additional layer of scrutiny for breach-response planning and the documentation of the same.
Tailoring verification checks based on roles gives an extra edge for hirers. For instance, if you are hiring in the finance domain, prioritizing financial and criminal checks will seek utmost importance. Another way to ensure data protection is deploying automation into digital workflows. Additionally, BGV providers can help firms to store the data for a specific period, after which it can be securely deleted.
As with changing norms, it is crucial for verification workflows to undergo regular reviews in order to stay on track. Furthermore, utilize the incident-response plan curated by your verification provider for accidental data breaches. It may be in the form of control, notify and solve. Therefore, background verification processes serve as a tool to improve candidate trust, safeguard brand reputation and mitigate legal burden.
In today’s hiring landscape, data privacy in background verification assumes utmost importance. Candidates must be informed of their data usage and the purpose of the same to ensure transparency across every phase of the hiring procedure. Further, it is essential to get the verification done by a trusted BGV provider like Millow for a safe and trustworthy background check procedure.
Millow™ is a technology-enabled background check agency in India that uses advanced technology and intelligence gathering methods to check the background of new employees, tenants, domestic helpers, etc.
L- 176, 5th Main, HSR Layout, Sector -6, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560102
H.No. 130/226, 3rd Floor, 54 Rajpur Road,Near HDFC Bank, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001
Smart works summer court, behind seasons mall, magarpatta, Pune 411009
Built by waywedesign
