Can an Employer Run a Background Check Without Consent?

Felons find it difficult to find a decent job after their release. Even when felons secure a job, employers are free to run a background check. This article covers the following points to assess whether an employer must seek consent before running a background check.

What Does a Background Check Include?

A background check is necessary before employees get hired in a company. The organization refrains from hiring a bad hire. This employee demonstrates the following characteristics:

Criminal History

The criminal history of felons negatively impacts their opportunity of securing a good job. Even if felons decide to lead an honest life. An employer checks the following records in background verification:

Background Verification

Background verification determines the following information about a candidate:

This exercise permits employers to understand potential risks for hiring and ruling out all security and safety measures for a company.

1 Bankruptcies for 10 years

2 Tax liabilities after 7 years

3 Civil suits and judgments after 7 years

4 Account placed for collection after 7 years

5 Negative feedback other than criminal convictions

Hiring managers also ask specific questions regarding a person’s background. The employer cannot request medical history till a job offer is made. The criminal record reviews details of criminal convictions and cases that have been dismissed. The authorities expunge a felon’s record if he doesn’t show up for a non–conviction for 7 years.

Organizations Background Check on Present Employees

A background check facilitates hiring managers to hire the right candidate for the job role keeping in mind all legal requirements and organizations follow to run background verification checks on present employees. Many companies follow a specific clause which is the “Honor Clause”. This requires all employees to report criminal charges against them whenever these changes occur, it is the organization’s responsibility to run periodic background verification checks.

There are multiple reasons to conduct background verification checks for present employees. An employee might return to the company in a new role. Hence, a background verification check is important. When companies decide to retain employees, that time they conduct background verification checks.

When companies consider an employee for promotion, they run a background verification check to ensure the right candidate gets promoted. Workplace accidents also lead companies to conduct a background verification check so that employees can receive their insurance claims without difficulty.

Need for Consent to Perform a Background Check

Felons who are presently working for an organization get concerned that their employer will run a background verification check on the employees for all reasons. In every state, a background verification check is important and requires employee consent. Background verification check on current employees also helps in identifying details about criminal history.

In every state, the employer cannot run a background verification without an authorization signed by an employee before getting on board with the organization. In case there is no indication about an employee who has committed a crime, in this scenario employer requires an employee’s consent to conduct a background check once the employee gets hired.

Negative Background Report

A negative background verification report allows the employer to take corrective action by terminating the employee from employment because of a negative background verification report. An employer can take proper measures to gather relevant information through a social media account of the employee, it doesn’t require any consent to carry out this check.

An employer requires an employee’s consent to conduct a background verification check for understanding the credit score report, before promoting an employee. The employee can refuse this consent to avoid the opportunity of losing a promotion.

Can Felons Run A Background Check For Themselves?

Felons generally prefer conducting a check to understand what is revealed when companies check them. The felons try and understand and collect relevant documents to support the background verification check.

This includes:

Felons can also seek professional help from agencies to run these background checks effectively. It is in a felon’s interest that his record gets expunged easily.

The Course Of Action

Felons must never hide details about their felony conviction. They should list down all facts truthfully in the job application form. If an employer finds out about your felony conviction, there is a high chance of termination from your current employment. Completing a self-background verification check encourages felons to understand what a background verification check can reveal about them.

A felon should not repent of previous mistakes rather adopt a positive approach to lead a better life, the felon can gain success through the support of their family and friends. Their hard work and dedication will assist them to achieve new career heights and take up new career challenges. Felons must cooperate when the authorities conduct a background verification check. This will assist felons to lead an honest life in the future.

Bottom Line

Employers require proper consent to conduct background verification checks. In the case of felons, it is a piece of good advice that felons must cooperate with their employers while getting the background verification check conducted. This helps felons to reestablish their careers with a positive approach. Self–background verification checks permits felon to know what is mentioned in their records.

Background verification allows looking at felons from a new perspective by not considering their past mistakes. Background verification requires an employee’s consent to avoid safety and security concerns in the company.  This way everyone can lead a peaceful life.