National Association of Professional Background Screeners Encourages Employee Background Screening in Declining Job Market

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS(R)), the foremost advocacy organization in the industry, is reinforcing the importance of organizations conducting background screening on individuals they consider for employment. According to NAPBS, professional background screening, which is crucial during any economic environment, is especially important in a declining job market.

"Considering the current state of the economy, the job market is destined to become more tenuous and competitive in 2009," said Tracy Seabrook, CAE, executive director of NAPBS. "When the economy declines, we tend to see an increase in individuals stretching the truth in order to secure employment. Employers should be aware of these trends, and know that they can use professional background screening as another tool in their recruiting efforts to ensure the candidate they are considering is, indeed, the right match for the organization."

NAPBS cautions employers on two employment-related trends: resume 'fluffing' and the fact that conviction rates are on the rise nationally among job applicants - according to the US Dept of Commerce - which predicts these trends to continue, at minimum, into 2010.

NAPBS offers advice and guidelines - and a variety of venues - to ensure the thoroughness of background screening in today's shrinking economy. Employers are encouraged to attend educational sessions at the upcoming NAPBS Annual Conference, which will be held April 19-22, 2009 in St. Louis, MO. For more information, please go to www.napbs.com.

About NAPBS

The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) is the leading national resource for issues related to the rapidly expanding background screening industry. Founded in 2003 as a nonprofit trade association, NAPBS promotes ethical business practices and fosters awareness of privacy rights and consumer protection issues. It is the foremost leader in the movement toward establishing generally accepted and reliable standards for background screening professionals and organizations. Now representing 729 member companies in the US and internationally, NAPBS is active in public affairs and presents a unified voice for the industry in the development of national, state, and local regulation. It advances industry objectives by providing a national infrastructure, organizational support, strong branding, and a forum for an open exchange of ideas. It also sponsors research on front-burner issues relevant to the industry; for example, consumer disputes and screening for terrorists. The NAPBS has also unveiled an accreditation program for NAPBS members, exhibited at conferences of human resources professionals and other related industries.