Employers find that an accurate and comprehensive background check for employment can often help them to avoid costly mistakes in hiring. Kimmons Investigative Services uses multiple massive databases, often proprietary, in uncovering everything about a potential hire, including:
- social media searches, address histories
- family or company affiliations and relationships
- state licenses
- financial and material assets including properties and vehicles
- criminal conviction histories
- civil records
- federal court records
- bankruptcies, liens and judgements
The Background Check for Employment Process Step-by-Step
This process varies by the type of business, specific job applied for, and other variables specific to each situation:
- Consent — You must receive written disclosure (standalone form) and give authorization. This is required under FCRA.
- Check runs — Usually after a conditional offer; takes a few days to 2+ weeks.
- Review — Employer evaluates results.
- Notification — If issues arise, you get a “pre-adverse action” notice with a copy of the report and your rights summary. You can dispute errors.
- Final decision — “Adverse action” notice if denied, with details on how to challenge.
Applicant Rights Under FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
This process varies by the type of business, specific job applied for, and other variables specific to each situation
- The applicant must be told a background check may be conducted and give written permission.
- Applicant can request a free copy of the report if adverse action is considered.
- Applicant can dispute inaccurate information directly with the screening company.
- The employer cannot use the info to discriminate based on protected characteristics (race, etc.).
Common Reasons for Checks Failure or Hiring Delays Due to a Background Check for Employment
- Credit history issues
- Incomplete information or discrepancies in the available information
- Failure of a drug test, especially if recent
- Criminal convictions (especially job-related ones like theft or violence).
- If a driving job, a poor driving record can be a problem
- Unverifiable or falsified employment/education.
Possible real-world negative consequences:
Background checks are also of value in litigation actions. In my book, PI Revelations, one case is a great example of the negative consequences of hiring without a background check for employment. A helicopter crash and subsequent lawsuit by relatives of those who died, the helicopter company had not done a background check before hiring a pilot. Their normal process was not to do a check if the pilot was referred from another company or source.
Our in-depth background check of the pilot for our clients suing the company turned up a sordid history of everything from past DWI and family violence assault charges to a previous firing by another company for infractions.
Background checks information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Fill out this short form or give us a call with any questions you may have about your need for a background check for employment.