In an ideal scenario, an applicant at the time of hiring would divulge all their credentials accurately and correctly. However, the reality is far different, with mismatched expectations between employers and prospective candidates, leading to wrong hires.
To save all the trouble, background verification companies are hired to conduct thorough verification and checks. It ensures that organisations hire genuine candidates, and address verifications is a crucial element of this process.
In this blog, we explore everything that you need to know about address verifications at the time of employment.
What Is Address Verification?
Address verification is a process that confirms the credentials shared by the applicant with the prospective employer. It ensures that the address shared is true and the candidate resides in that particular address. It is an important sub-set of the various verification checks carried out as a part of employee screening services by hiring companies.
Address verification services typically involve undertaking a physical visit to the address to verify the information shared by the candidate. The third-party agency that conducts the verification collect various other address-related details during the process, such as the period of stay, ownership status, whether the candidate is staying with family/friends, or any other relevant remarks made by neighbours.
Verifying all home phone numbers, locality checks, credit card billing addresses, and other important documents may or may not be a part of a standard address verification process.
Important Details Validated During Address Verification
Apart from the details mentioned above, the address verification agency will also validate the following details for a prospective employee during the process –
- Whether the given address exists/tallies with the verified address
- Capture geocoding of the location
- Are there any discrepancies found in the mentioned address, or it is the same?
- The exact duration of stay – whether the applicant stays/stayed at the address during the period mentioned.
- Residence status, whether owned, rented, PG, hostel or any other
- Relationship of the applicant with the person verifying the address details
- Details of the respondent such as name, number, address, relationship with the candidate.
Why Is Address Verification Necessary?
Address verification by background verification companies is necessary because of the following reasons –
- For Sending Communication
Employee address verification is important for carrying out correspondence with the employees during the pre-hiring and post-termination phases. This communication includes sending out offer letters, other documents such as application forms, or final settlement documents and dues.
- Safety Reasons
Address verification also helps employers reach out to the employees in case of absenteeism, violations, or any kind of disciplinary issues. This is important when employees go missing after defaulting with customer accounts or on company dues, etc.
- Law Enforcement Reasons
Employee address verification also helps law enforcement authorities in case of any sort of criminal acts by employees. A thoroughly verified address supports the authorities/police officials in moving ahead with necessary investigations.
Types Of Address Verification
Employee address verification can be of two main types. These are –
- Permanent Address
A permanent address is the legal address of an individual where he/she is a registered resident. All the government-issued documents such as passport, driving license, voter ID card, and ration card carry permanent address. In some cases, where applicants stay away from home, their parents’ house is used as their permanent address. In such cases, a permanent address is also defined as an address where the applicant receives all the official documents and correspondence.
- Temporary Address
As the name indicates, a temporary address is a temporary correspondence location. It can be the address where the applicant is residing with a friend/ relative or where they have rented accommodation and receives correspondence.
Similar to verifying someone’s employment history and identity, checking the address, whether permanent or temporary, is crucial. At times, an applicant may have more than one address (permanent or temporary), and the company needs to verify all these existing addresses for integrity and compliance issues. Hiring a qualified address verification company ensures the most accurate and genuine results.
To Wrap
Irrespective of their size, organisations must know who they are employing and whether they come with a clean past. Address verification services are one of the most important elements of this process. It protects the employer from the unnecessary hassle of fraud or any kind of legal complications if an employee were to become involved in a criminal offence.
AuthBridge specialises in pre-employment address checks with robust processes that are in line with international standards of data safety and privacy. Our address screening services are based on a detailed understanding of your business requirements and offer you the most dependable verification solutions. We have the expertise in combining our business domain knowledge with technology competence to deliver high-quality results cost-efficiency to maximise both productivity and a business’ competitive advantage.
Contact us today to know more about us and our services.
