What Is a Background Check and Why Do You Need One?

A background check is a tool that lets you look into an individual’s past to see whether they have any criminal convictions or other records that could put them in danger. It’s a process that employers use to help maintain the quality of their workforce, and protect themselves from negligent hiring lawsuits and damage to their reputation.

When it comes to background checks, there are many things that influence the report you get. These include your state laws, what type of background check you want to run and how much of a time span can it go back on.

Some common background checks involve criminal records searches for felony and misdemeanor convictions, as well as any pending cases. This information is important when it comes to hiring, buying a firearm or even purchasing property.

Another common reason for running a background check is to keep your business safe from violent candidates who may hurt customers or employees. These can be very serious issues, and they can ruin your reputation if you don’t take the proper steps to hire people with a clean record.

A criminal history report contains the name of the offense, date of arrest, disposition (conviction, non-conviction or pending), and other relevant details about the person’s legal past. Some reports will also include petty offenses and infractions, which are typically only punishable by fines, not jail time.

The limits on how far back a criminal background check can go vary by state, but some of them are very strict. For example, it’s illegal in California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, and Washington for background check companies to reveal any records that are more than seven years old.

In addition to criminal records, a background check will also look at motor vehicle records for any violations that the applicant may have. These can range from traffic violations to license revocations and include DUI or other convictions.

Other types of checks that are not part of a criminal record search include education verification, employment history and social security validation. The latter verifies a candidate’s Social Security number and shows their names, aliases used, addresses and dates of birth.

When you’re applying for a job, your employer is required to conduct a fair and equal search of your background without discriminating against you because of your race, national origin, color, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, or age. They also must be able to ask you the same questions that they would ask any other job applicant, and they must give you a chance to say no.

If you are discriminated against because of your race, national origin, color, religion, disability, genetic information, or older age, you have the right to sue. You can find more information at the EEOC website.

Oftentimes, background check results are flawed. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as investigators faking results or an employer ignoring negative findings. It can also be the fault of a third-party screening provider or a candidate omitting information about their history.