MVR Check For Employer: Everything You Need To Know
An MVR check for employers is a crucial step in the hiring and risk management process, especially for jobs that require driving skills. The check provides important information about a candidate’s driving history, such as traffic violations, accidents, license status, and any suspensions or revocations.
Employers are able to hire candidates who are qualified for the job and have a clean driving record by understanding the importance of MVR checks. Explore what a company needs to know about MVR checks, from how they work to how they affect hiring choices and avoid legal liabilities.
What Is A Motor Vehicle Record Check?
A Motor Vehicle Record Check is a process by which an employer or other authorized party examines a person’s driving record, which is kept by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a similar authority. MVR stands for “Motor Vehicle Record,” and it contains details about traffic violations, accidents, license suspensions or revocations, and anything else that happened while the person was driving. The purpose of an MVR check is to evaluate a candidate’s driving history to make sure they are responsible and safe drivers, particularly for jobs that require driving.
Why Is An MVR Check Important For Employers?
An MVR check is important for employers because it helps them figure out how safe current or future employees are behind the wheel, especially if they are going to be driving company cars or driving is required as part of their job. Employers can check a candidate’s Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) to determine if they have a history of dangerous driving. If a candidate has multiple traffic violations or accidents, they may pose a risk to the company, its assets, and the safety of others.
How Does An MVR Check Work?
An MVR check works by looking up a person’s driving record with the state’s DMV or a similar government agency. Employers ask for the MVR report, which has information about a person’s driving history, such as tickets, accidents, license suspensions, and any other legal acts that have to do with driving. The report contains the license holder’s personal information, the state of their driver’s license (valid, suspended, etc.), and a list of any traffic tickets, DUIs, or reckless driving offenses they have had in the past. Other employment background check types are conducted to support the accuracy of the candidate’s identity.
How Does a Motor Vehicle Record Check Affect the Hiring Process?
Motor Vehicle Record check affects the hiring process, especially for jobs that require a good driving record. Employers use MVR checks to look at a job applicant’s driving record and see if there are any signs of reckless driving, traffic violations, or crashes. It highlights the employer’s risk if the candidate has a history of multiple violations or suspensions, which raises concerns about safety, insurance costs, and liability.
What Job Roles Require An MVR Check?
Job roles that require an MVR check involve driving or operating vehicles as part of their duties. People in these jobs often travel for work, like truck drivers, delivery drivers, courier services, fleet managers, and sales reps. An MVR check is also needed for jobs like bus drivers, taxi or rideshare drivers, and construction workers who drive heavy vehicles or use heavy tools.
How To Get A Motor Vehicle Report?
To get a motor vehicle report, employers should
Determine the Purpose. Figure out whether the MVR is needed for hiring or insurance, as it affects the provider’s needs as well as the legal requirements.
Obtain Candidate’s Consent. Make sure to have written permission from the candidate or employee before asking for it, since the MVR is a private record.
Choose an MVR Provider. Look for a service that fits the needs and is licensed in the area, such as the state DMV, a third-party screening company, or an insurance agency.
Review and Interpret the Report. Check the MVR for any violations, accidents, or license suspensions, and make sure that the rules of the company or the law are followed.
How Long Does It Take To Get an MVR?
The time it takes to get a Motor Vehicle Record varies from a few minutes to several days, based on the state or jurisdiction. Instant access to MVRs is available in some states, but extra processing time is needed if verification needs to be done by hand. A driving record goes back anywhere from three to seven years, depending on the regulations of the state.
Is HR The One To Get The MVR?
Yes, HR is the one to get the MVR. It is because the human resources department does pre-employment screenings, like background checks, to make sure that job candidates are qualified for the job, especially for jobs that require driving skills. The MVR allows HR to review a job applicant’s driving record to ensure they have a clean record. It is crucial for jobs that require driving or running company vehicles as part of the job, making it one of the human resources’ duties.
Is MVR Check Optional?
No, for select industries, an MVR check is not optional. Employers require an MVR check to make sure the applicant has a clean driving record for jobs that require driving or running company vehicles. It lowers the chances of risks of the road, legal liabilities, and insurance problems. Some companies still do an MVR check as part of their standard background check process, even in jobs where driving isn’t a main duty, particularly for jobs that require occasional travel or driving for work.
What Is A Bad MVR Score?
A bad MVR score refers to a driving record that contains numerous traffic tickets, accidents, or major offenses like DUI, reckless driving, or having a license suspended. The number and level of violations are often used to calculate an MVR score. Employers are less likely to hire someone with a low MVR score because it indicates a higher risk of accidents or dangerous driving habits.
What Are The Laws Governing MVR Checks?
The laws governing MVR checks are mainly outlined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and state-specific rules. The FCRA says that companies have to get written permission from the candidate before they are able to do an MVR check, making sure that everything is clear and that privacy rules are followed. The laws vary by state regarding how far back an MVR check is able to be conducted into a candidate’s driving history, ranging from three to ten years. These are the laws governing employee background checks that must be followed in every company.
What Are The Advantages Of MVR Check?
The advantages of an MVR check include
Identify Driving Violations: It helps companies find traffic violations or accidents on a candidate’s driving records, reducing the risk of hiring drivers with poor driving habits from being hired.
Ensure Insurance Compliance: MVR checks help businesses meet insurance requirements, and drivers with good records often get lower premium rates.
Reduce Liability Risks: Companies are able to lower the risk of crashes and the legal and financial problems that come with them by identifying risky drivers.
Improve Workplace Safety: It makes sure that employees who drive as part of their job are trustworthy and less likely to get into accidents, which improves safety generally.
Support Informed Hiring Decisions: Gives useful information about a candidate’s driving record, which helps employers make better hiring choices for jobs that require driving.
Are There Limitations With MVR Checks?
Yes, there are limitations with MVR checks. MVR checks provide important information about their driving history, even if they only look at a person’s traffic tickets, accidents, and license suspensions or revocations. They do not provide information about more specific patterns of behavior or possible underlying reasons, like problems with drugs that affect driving.
How Can Shield Screening Assist With MVR Checks?
Shield Screening can assist with MVR checks by providing accurate and up-to-date driving records directly from the motor vehicle departments of each state. Shield’s service makes sure that companies follow relevant laws by making it easier for them to get MVR reports while still following the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) rules for privacy and consent. Shield Screening MVR service assists employers in requesting driving records for particular periods, evaluating a candidate’s driving history, for effective hiring choices, especially for jobs that require driving.