Author: Ashley McKinzie

Why run a background check? This is the question we get asked the most often by potential clients and the answer is simple peace of mind and safety. We have 2 client stories to share, both clients came to us after hiring people with records unbeknownst to them.

Client 1 hired an employee after doing a background check however they omitted a sex offender search. After hiring this person, they later found out that he was a registered sex offender. This is a big problem because of their proximity to a school. Had they done the national sex offender registry they would have never hired this person. They have now made this search a standard part of their order for every potential employee.

Client 2 has a very different story and one that is scary for any one in any industry when hiring a potential employee. This client came to us the day after a horrifying incident occurred at their site, an employee had been fired the day before and came back the next day and brutely abused a supervisor. When the police arrived, they showed the management staff multiple pages of records this person had. If HR had that information prior, they never would have hired them. They called us the day after the incident occurred to get setup to do background checks on all current staff and to continue running them on potential new hires. While on the phone with us they were at the hospital checking on their employee who had been severely injured and who required multiple surgeries over the next several months.

Southern Research Company now offers our clients even more ways to pay their invoice. In 2023 more companies are going paperless than ever before and many companies have been paperless for years. We are trying our best to do our part as well. You can receive your invoice via email notification and retrieve your complete details on our portal. Then when you are ready to pay we have multiple options for you. There is always an option to leave a credit card on file and setup your account for auto pay, we will then process this the next business day. You can also pay us via ACH through your bank or even call our office and pay with a credit card over the phone.

Call our office for more information at 318-227-9700 or you can reach us by email at background@southernresearchinc.com. Our staff can answer all of your questions and help get your account setup exactly how you like it.

Per LA RS 40:1203.1, the Louisiana Department of Health requires background investigations of Non-Licensed Healthcare Personnel to be run through the State Police or an Authorized Agency.

Southern Research Company has created a screening package ideal for all Licensed Healthcare Professionals. This product includes a County/Parish Criminal search of your choice, National Sex Offender Registry check, Social Trace, Social Security Death Master File Index and a Level III Medical Sanctions Search (a comprehensive medical exclusions database including federal and state resources).

For more information on this product or to have this package added to your account, please phone our office at

318-227-9700 or email us at background@southernresearchinc.com

The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA®) Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC) announced today that Southern Research Company, Inc. has successfully demonstrated continued compliance with the Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP) and is recognized as BSCC-Accredited.

Southern Research Company, Inc.

2850 Centenary Blvd.

Shreveport, LA 71104

Each year, U.S. employers, organizations and governmental agencies request millions of consumer reports to assist with critical business decisions involving background screening.  Background screening reports, which are categorized as consumer reports, are currently regulated at both the federal and state level. 

Since its inception, PBSA has maintained that there is a strong need for a singular, cohesive industry standard and, therefore, created the BSAAP.  Governed by a strict professional standard of specified requirements and measurements, the BSAAP is becoming a widely recognized seal of achievement that brings national recognition to background screening organizations (also referred to as Consumer Reporting Agencies).  This recognition will stand as the industry “seal,” representing a

background screening organization’s commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement.

The BSCC oversees the application process and is the governing accreditation body that validates the background screening organizations seeking accreditation meet or exceed a measurable standard of competence. To become accredited, consumer reporting agencies must pass a rigorous onsite audit, conducted by an independent auditing firm, of its policies and procedures as they relate to six critical areas:  consumer protection, legal compliance, client education, product standards, service standards, and general business practices.

Any U.S.-based employment screening organization is eligible to apply for accreditation. A copy of the standard, the policies and procedures, and measurements is available at www.thepbsa.org.

About PBSA®

Founded in 2003 as a not-for-profit trade association, the The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) represents the interests of more than 900 member companies around the world that offer tenant, employment and background screening.  PBSA provides relevant programs and training aimed at empowering members to better serve clients and maintain standards of excellence in the background screening industry, and presents a unified voice in the development of national, state and local regulations. For more information, visit www.thepbsa.org[MS1] .

In February 2019 a survey conducted by The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), announced that 48% of HR professionals had experienced workplace violence which is up 36% since 2012. Workplace violence is the act or threat of violence, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults directed toward staff at work or while on duty.

According to the FBI “it is critical to understand that workplace violence does not happen at random”, rather individuals usually display some behaviors of concern. Prospective employers need to consider that a comprehensive background check can be crucial in identifying past “behaviors of concern” or a pattern of criminal activity. Along with a criminal screening, professional references can be another tool for providing insight into a person’s character and behavior. Those using a background screening program are generally not getting a comprehensive search and could be missing key items in determining if an applicant is eligible for hire or not.

Imagine working in Human Resources and terminating an employee who just wasn’t a good fit for your team. Their exit interview took very little time and, by all accounts, was considered standard at best. Fast forward a couple of weeks when the dismissed employee returns unexpectedly and disrupts your office. Within seconds, you have a very serious situation unfolding and the safeties of those present are in jeopardy.

Authorities are phoned, the suspect is taken into custody and the situation is resolved. Upon review of the police department’s report, it revealed this individual had a detailed history of physical violence. It is at this very moment, you realize the importance of pre-employment screening and recognize this situation might have been prevented had proper procedures been in place.

Background investigations don’t have to be costly or time-consuming. Even when everything looks great on an application and you believe you have a good judge of character, think again. Statistics suggest an alarming amount of job candidates lie on their resumes and may hide a criminal past. Pre-Employment screenings provide you a level of assurance that the candidate hasn’t embellished details on their resume to look better. Employee Background Checks will tell you more about work and criminal history, drug use, and reputation. This is information you would not be able to fully confirm without the aid of a background check.

No matter how unique your name is, it’s likely that several hundred, if not thousands, of people share the same first and last name as you. When considering common names, it’s certainly possible that not only do you share a name with another individual, but also the same or similar date of birth. This is why a middle name has great purpose during background screenings. A middle name is an important additional identifier when investigating any subject and should be used as often as possible. In most cases, by including a middle name it will help us to further identify if the information from the search matches the applicant or not. Both the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have issued guidance requiring the use of middle names, even more so when common names are searched. Including middle names helps reduce false positives and greatly improves the accuracy of a background check.

Did you know using a middle name could also improve your turnaround time in getting results? With common names it makes it much easier to identify who is not a match when we have a full name. The more information that is provided on an applicant the easier it is to identify any possible matches.

Do you know other companies that could use our services? – REFER THEM TO US!

The highest compliment any business can receive is being given a recommendation from you or one of your staff members. Client referrals affirm that we are achieving our mission by successfully serving those who rely on us.

Southern Research Company serves an abundance of client types- from healthcare to construction and everything in between. Our services offer a variety of products when choosing to conduct a background investigation because no single search fits the needs of every business or organization. We can assist the needs of your plumbing company just as easily as the needs of your accountant’s office!

Refer us to all of your friends and vendors and let them know how much you love SRC!

Southern Research Company, Inc. is pleased to announce that Nicole Camhout has successfully fulfilled the requirements of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) FCRA Certification Program. And that our Director of Research Services, Ashley McKinzie, has completed the Advanced Certification for the FCRA Certification Program. This program requires study and examination on select areas of the Fair Credit Reporting Act as it pertains to Employment, Tenancy and Volunteer Screening.

The PBSA exists to promote ethical business practices, promote compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and foster awareness of issues related to consumer protection and privacy rights within the background screening industry. The Association currently represents over 880 member companies engaged in employment and tenant background screening across the United States. Member companies range from Fortune 100 companies to small local businesses, conducting millions of employment related and tenant background checks each year as part of the hiring and leasing process.

Southern Research Company has been an accredited member of the Professional Background Screening Association since 2015.