A pre-employment background check is a procedure companies use to verify a candidate’s information and evaluate their suitability for a role. By reviewing an individual’s history, employers confirm qualifications and assess reliability. This process helps protect the organization’s assets, employees, and reputation by ensuring well-informed hiring decisions.
Common Components of a Background Check
Criminal History Records
A review of criminal history identifies past felony and misdemeanor convictions. Employers assess these records for potential risks to workplace safety, especially for high-risk roles in areas like childcare or finance. The search can pull from local, state, and national databases and may include sex offender registries. The relevance of a conviction to the job’s duties is a significant consideration.
Employment Verification
Verifying past employment involves contacting previous companies to confirm the accuracy of a candidate’s resume. This check validates job titles and dates of employment to ensure the applicant’s listed experience is truthful. This confirms a candidate’s work history aligns with the position’s requirements.
Education Verification
Employers verify educational qualifications by contacting institutions listed on a resume. This check confirms degrees, diplomas, or certifications earned, along with dates of attendance. The process ensures that applicants possess the academic credentials required for the role.
Motor Vehicle Records
For jobs that include driving, a check of motor vehicle records is standard. This report details a driver’s license status, traffic violations, and DUI convictions. Employers use this to evaluate a candidate’s responsibility and safety for roles in delivery, transportation, or sales. A poor driving history may be disqualifying depending on its relevance to the job.
Credit History
A credit history check is reserved for positions with financial responsibility, such as in accounting or executive management. Employers receive a modified report highlighting financial stability, not a full credit score. This check assesses risk for roles with access to company funds or sensitive data. Several states and cities prohibit using credit checks in many employment decisions.
Drug Screening
Drug and alcohol testing is a component of the pre-employment process, particularly in safety-focused industries like transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare. These screenings test for illicit substances to promote a safe work environment. A drug test may be a one-time requirement before hiring or a condition of ongoing employment.
Information Employers Cannot Consider
Federal and state laws establish clear boundaries to prevent discrimination in hiring. Protected characteristics cannot be the basis for a hiring decision and include:
- Race or color
- Religion
- Sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation)
- National origin
- Age (for those 40 and over)
- Disability status
- Genetic information
Certain records are also off-limits or restricted for hiring purposes.
- Military records are confidential and can only be accessed with specific consent.
- Medical records are private and cannot be used unless a physical exam is directly relevant to the job’s duties.
- Bankruptcy filings, while public, cannot be used to disqualify a candidate.
- Arrest records that did not lead to a conviction are restricted in many states, as are expunged or sealed criminal records.
Understanding Your Rights in the Process
Job applicants have specific rights during the background check process, primarily under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This law ensures fairness and transparency when a third-party company conducts the screening. Before a check can be performed, the employer must notify you in writing and receive your written consent in a standalone document.
If an employer considers not hiring you based on the report, they must provide a “pre-adverse action notice.” This notice includes a copy of the background check report and a document summarizing your rights under the FCRA. This gives you an opportunity to review the report and dispute any inaccuracies with the screening company.
If the employer makes a final decision not to hire you, they must send an “adverse action notice” after a reasonable time. This notice states you were not hired due to the report’s information. It also provides the screening company’s contact details and affirms that the screening company did not make the hiring decision.
How to Handle Negative Information on Your Report
Accurate but negative information on your report does not automatically disqualify you from a job. The best approach is to be proactive and honest. If you anticipate an issue will appear, consider addressing it directly with the hiring manager to provide context and demonstrate personal growth.
When discussing past issues, focus on what you learned and how you have become a reliable individual. Frame the conversation around your job qualifications and commitment to the company. This approach shows accountability and can ease an employer’s concerns.
You can also provide context for accurate information. While the FCRA does not grant a right to explain accurate findings, many employers will allow it. Being prepared to discuss the circumstances calmly and professionally is beneficial.