How far does a background check go

The most important thing is not to wait until you're in the middle of a job search to prepare for a background check. When interviewing for a job, you may need to answer questions about your credit record, your driving record, and other items and situations an employer may consider relevant.

Tips for getting ready for a background check for a new job

On the surface, it might seem like these things have nothing to do with a given job opening. Credit Report. Get a copy of your credit report. You can order a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus e. If there is erroneous information which can happen , dispute it with the creditor to clear your name.

Be aware of the laws in your state regarding employment-related credit checks. Criminal Records.

Some states don't allow questions about arrests or convictions beyond a certain point in your past, typically 10 years. Other states only allow consideration of criminal history for certain positions such as jobs in the financial sector or working with children.

Driving Record. Check your motor vehicle record by requesting a copy of your record from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. You may also be able to review your driving record online at the DMV website. If you have a history of traffic violations and you're interviewing for a job where a license is required, be prepared to answer questions about your driving record. Drug Testing. This question is hard to answer. There are strict rules regarding credit and finances that pre-employment screening companies need to follow. This means that even if your state allows full credit checks, these will still be limited by the FCRA.

This means that credit report results within the state will have the same limitations mentioned above. Additionally, Minnesota passed a law that requires employers to disclose the fact that a pre-employment screening will be completed.

The application should also include a checkbox that allows the applicant to request their own copy of the report. Criminal background checks are a whole different story. This means that you could potentially see convictions that happened 50 years ago. While this is beneficial to you as a business owner, it can also create biases against otherwise good candidates.

How can this happen?

• How far back does a criminal background check go?!
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Imagine that a background report reveals that an older applicant committed a crime when they were Will you let this single red flag stop you from hiring them? This decision is yours alone. Instead, you should follow fair hiring rules and regulations and determine whether or not this conviction will affect their eligibility for the role. Depending on the level of responsibility or the type of conviction you might decide to overlook the conviction and hire them anyway. Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act FCRA was put in place to limit the time period that could be checked by a credit bureau or background check company.

According to the FCRA, information regarding bankruptcies that is older than 10 years cannot be used when a background check is run on your credit history.

Besides bankruptcies, other adverse information is listed on your credit history if you have ever had any problems with your credit. These will include items such as civil suits, judgments, tax liens or unpaid accounts that have been placed into collection. Background checks can also be run to see if you have a criminal record. If you have ever committed a felony, it will be on your record permanently. Due to the seriousness of this type of crime, felonies cannot be removed from your record unless they have been expunged.

However, some states are now banning the ability to ask about criminal records on a job application.

Employers have the ability to run a background check, but they are not allowed to ask about any convictions during the first stages of the hiring process. Later in the process, they are allowed to inquire about your criminal record.