Employers vetting more possible new hires

Colorado’s unemployment rate reached its highest level in 35 years in January – 9.1 percent – as the national rate was dipping its lowest level since April 2009 – 8.9 percent – in February. The state is releasing figures for February jobs the day this paper is published, but if pre-employment activity is any indication, they should mirror the national uptick in workers finding work.

Katie Zwetzig, principal of Fort Collins-based Tandem Select, has seen an uptick in the number of employers asking for background checks on potential hires.

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“From a substantial increase in the number of applicants to a dramatic increase in products such as education verification checks that are often bypassed in tough economic times, the data supports the notion that our economy is on an upswing,” she said.

The number of applicants screened by Tandem – formerly Premier Employment Services – more than doubled last year, from 20,881 in the three months between December 2009 and February 2010 to 47,049 between December 2010 and February 2011.

As employers have become more certain that the economy is rebounding, the total number of all background check searches rose 86 percent between December 2009 to February 2010 and December 2010 to February 2011, from 95,400 to 177,035 searches. The number of education and certification verifications rose by 99 percent in the same period, as employers began to hire for specialized positions that need specific certifications. These findings support the notion that hiring for more specialized, white collar positions is on the rise, Zwetzig said.

Military Service verification checks more than doubled as companies begin to dip into the talent pool of veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, she added.

Tandem has also seen increases in other search requests: County criminal record searches were up 79 percent, from 15,531 checks in December 2009-February 2010 to 27,767 checks in December 2010-February 2011, and state criminal record searches up 36 percent, from 10,513 to 14,292.

Drug tests rose a full 85 percent with more employers concerned about the accessibility of drugs through channels such as medical marijuana dispensaries.