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What Is Pre-Employment Screening?
Pre-employment screening is the process of evaluating job candidates before they are officially hired, using tools such as:
- Drug and alcohol testing
- Background checks (criminal history, credit, driving records, etc.)
- Verification of employment and education history
- Reference checks
- Physicals or health screenings (for safety-sensitive roles)
- Fingerprinting (for identity and compliance, especially in regulated industries)
It helps employers ensure that candidates meet both the professional and ethical standards required for the position.
When Did Pre-Employment Screening Start?
- The practice began to expand widely in the 1980s, especially after the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, which required federal contractors and grantees to maintain drug-free work environments.
- In the 1990s and 2000s, private employers increasingly adopted background checks and drug screening as routine parts of their hiring process.
- Today, nearly 90% of employers conduct some form of screening during hiring, according to HR research from SHRM and HireRight.