In an effort to perform more due diligence, many employers perform background checks of their potential new hires in order to ensure that they're a good match for the company. And on Jan. 15, the latest trends in the screening industry will be discussed that business owners will want to be aware of.

Accrediting background company Employment Screening Services is set to announce its annual list of the Top 10 Background Check Trends, which will be done on Wednesday Jan. 15 and broadcast via the internet starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

"For the seventh consecutive year, Employment Screening Resources has identified trends that will evolve as the background check industry matures," said Lester Rosen, founder of ESR and CEO attorney. "[The next 12 months] promises to be an exciting year with a brand new number one trend."

Rosen, who has authored several books, including "The Safe Hiring Manual" and "The Safe Hiring Audit," has determined the latest trends in employment screening after reviewing various resources such as the latest news developments, how hiring practices have evolved over time, what legal cases have dealt with background checking any new laws mandated by the federal government that dictate how screenings need to be performed, as well as what questions have been broached by employers when using HR technology.

Just as employers want to ensure that all their i's are dotted and t's are crossed before hiring a new recruit, they have to be careful not to violate any privacy laws when performing these background checks. For example, as directed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if employers want to review a hire's credit, they must obtain their written permission, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Also, the availability of criminal records varies from state to state, so a lawyer should be consulted before performing this type of background review.