Background check
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A background check is a process in which the specifics of an individual's past are revealed for the purposes of employment, obtaining access to classified information, or obtaining restricted items.
Reasons
They are frequently conducted to confirm information found on an employment application or résumé/curriculum vitae. They may also be conducted as a way to further differentiate potential employees and pick the one the employer feels is best suited for the position. In the United States, the Brady Bill requires criminal background checks for those wishing to purchase handguns from licensed firearms dealers. Restricted firearms (like machine guns), suppressors, explosives or large quantities of precursor chemicals, and concealed weapons permits also require criminal background checks. Background checks are also required for those working in positions with special security concerns, such as trucking, ports of entry, and airline transportation. Other laws exist to prevent those who do not pass a background check from working in careers involving the elderly, disabled, or children.
Possible Information Included
The amount of information included on a background check depends to a large degree on the sensitivity of the reason for which it is conducted—e.g., somebody seeking employment at a minimum wage job would be subject to far fewer background check requirements than somebody applying to work for the FBI.
- Criminal and incarceration records.
- Litigation records. Employers are always terrified of employees who routinely file discrimination lawsuits even if a firing was clearly for cause. Also, in the U.S., employers that do work for the government do not like to hire whistleblowers who have a history of filing qui tam suits.
- Driving and vehicle records. Employers in the transportation sector keep insurance premiums down by hiring those with a clean driving record--eg, those without a history of accidents or traffic tickets.
- Drug tests are used for a variety of reasons--corporate ethics, measuring potential employee performance, and keeping workers' compensation premiums down.
- Education records. These are used primarily to see if the potential employee had in fact received a college degree. There are reports of SAT scores being requested by employers as well.
- Employment records. These usually range from simple verbal confirmations of past employment and timeframe to deeper, such as discussions about performance, activities and accomplishments, and relations with others.
- Financial information: Individuals with poor credit scores, liens, civil judgments, or those who have filed for bankruptcy may be at an additional risk of stealing from the company.
- Licensing records. A government authority that has some oversight over professional conduct of its licensees will also maintain records regarding the licensee, such as personal information, education, complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions.
- Military records. Although not as common today as it was in the past fifty years, employers frequently requested the specifics of one's military discharge.
- Social Security Number (or equivalent outside the US). A fraudulent SSN may be indicative of identity theft, insufficient citizenship, or concealment of a "past life".
- Other interpersonal interviews. Employers will usually wish to speak with potential employees' references to gauge employability. More intensive background checks can involve interviews with anybody that knew or previously knew the applicant--such as teachers, friends, coworkers, and family members.
Controversies
Drug tests and credit checks for employment are highly controversial practices. According to the [Privacy Rights Clearinghouse]: "While some people are not concerned about background investigations, others are uncomfortable with the idea of an investigator poking around in their personal history. In-depth background checks could unearth information that is irrelevant, taken out of context, or just plain wrong. A further concern is that the report might include information that is illegal to use for hiring purposes or which comes from questionable sources."In May 2002, allegedly improper post-hire background checks conducted by Northwest Airlines were the subject of a civil lawsuit between Northwest and 10,000 of their mechanics.
In the case of an arrest that did not lead to a conviction, background checks can continue including the arrest record for up to seven years, per § 605 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act:
- Except as authorized under subsection (b) of this section, no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing . . . Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period.
Some proposals for decreasing potential harm to innocent applicants include:
- Furnishing the applicant with a copy of the report before it is given to the employer, so that any inaccuracies can be addressed beforehand; and
- Allowing only conviction (not arrest) records to be reported.
External links
- [Fair Credit Reporting Act]
- [Employment Background Checks: A Jobseeker's Guide]
- [CareerJournal | Employers Might Ask For Your SAT Scores]
- [CareerJournal | Background Checks Draw Increased Scrutiny]
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