How Do You Know if You Passed a Background Check? The Facts

Did You Pass Your Background Check? 

Waiting to hear back from an employer after applying for a job can be a nerve-wracking experience. Many fret about the results of their background check. At this stage, you may have already gone through a lengthy process, including submitting a job application, sitting for interviews, and more. You may even have received a conditional job offer. Now, there’s just one more step: waiting for the results. But how do you know if you passed a background check? That’s not always an easy question to answer.

Many job seekers worry about being ignored by employers. They fear investing considerable time and effort in an application only to receive silence. Applicants also worry they might fail a background check and miss out on the job. If the employer never communicates, how will job seekers know when to move on to other opportunities? It’s a stressful situation. Understanding what happens when an employer runs a background check is key.

Why Employers Use Pre-Employment Screening 

What’s the purpose of running a background check? From the applicant’s point of view, their skills and experience should be what matters most. That is true, and most employers weigh those facts considerably. However, employers must also protect themselves, their employees, and customers.

For example, hiring someone with a violent history could be very risky to others. Employing someone to drive a truck when they have numerous DUI convictions could be negligent. A fraudster probably shouldn’t get official company financial access. The background check process helps control these risks.

Avoiding negligence by conducting background checks is a core reason for these processes. An employer wants to make informed hiring decisions. They need to know they’ve done as much as they can to protect others.

That does not mean that every criminal record will disqualify an individual. On the contrary, the government warns employers not to deny applicants categorically because of criminal convictions. Many cities and states have also increased opportunities for those with records.

There are other reasons to run a background check. Employers may need to confirm the information on your resume, too. They verify your work and educational history to verify your resume and application form. Background checks may involve other steps based on business needs. Because of the many steps, it can take time for an employer to report a result.

What are the red flags to an employer reviewing a background check? 

Applicants often want to know what an employer will consider disqualifying in their background. However, the criteria differ for every business. In some states, laws may even prohibit employers from considering convictions. However, there are some broad categories to note. Employers might be wary of the following:

• Claiming degrees or credentials you do not have
• Dishonesty about past employment and job positions
• Appearance on a sex offender registry
• A serious history of road rule violations for driving jobs

When employers use a criminal background check, red flags could include:

• A history that includes multiple serious convictions
• Assault, battery, and other violent felonies
• Grand theft charges
• White-collar crimes, such as fraud or embezzlement

These are just a few examples, but employers generally look for evidence of serious misconduct. Hiring managers often consider the nature of the crime and how it relates to the job.

Will an employer tell you if you passed a background check? 

Knowing if you passed an employer background check can be tricky at times. Why? An employer has no legal obligation to inform you. You might pass a check only for an employer to choose someone else. In that case, you may never hear back about your background check. It’s a frustrating situation for some applicants.

If it has been several weeks since you began the background check process, consider contacting the employer. The process could still be in progress, and delays can sometimes cause background checks to take longer.

You may receive a conditional job before the background check process begins, commonly in ban the box and Fair Chance jurisdictions. Check your local laws to learn more, or explore our Resource Center for additional information. In such cases, you’ll likely hear that you passed the background check when you receive a final job offer. You can then accept or decline based on your situation.

What happens when you fail a background check? 

It’s often easier to know if you failed a background check. Federal law gives a job applicant a range of rights in this scenario. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) aims to prevent the misuse of consumer reports such as background checks. As a result, employers must follow many rules to use such checks for hiring. Employers must provide a standalone FCRA disclosure and request consent to check your background. An employer who disqualifies an applicant because of a background check must follow a particular procedure.

The FCRA compels companies to notify you of adverse action based on the results of criminal record checks. Similarly, an employer cannot use background check findings to disqualify you without specific notification. You will have the opportunity to dispute the decision if you believe your report is incorrect.

What does adverse action mean? 

The government calls it adverse action when an employer plans to disqualify you for a failed background check. Per the FCRA, the employer must provide job candidates with a pre-adverse action notice upon making such a decision. The pre-adverse action notice must include a copy of the background check report and a summary of your rights.

You may review this and, if desired, notify the employer that you dispute the findings. The response time is limited, usually but not always five business days. The employer must put the process on hold until their background check partner provides clarification.

Even after this step, an employer may still make an adverse decision. If the background check service confirms the report’s accuracy, the employer can advise that you failed the background check or disqualify you from the job consideration. In a final notice of adverse action, the company must take additional steps that include the following:

• Notify the candidate, in writing, of the decision.
• Provide the candidate with information about the background check service used. This information must include the company’s name, address, and phone number.
• Include a disclaimer that the background check company did not make the adverse decision.
• Inform the candidate that they can obtain a free report copy within 60 days.
• Let the candidate know they can contact the background check company to dispute any inaccurate findings.

Visit our Resource Center page on FCRA compliance to learn more. If you’ve received a final notice of adverse action, it is vital to understand your rights. You may need to explore criminal record expungement or contact a lawyer. In decisions where the report was accurate, and there is nothing to dispute, you should continue your efforts to find employment elsewhere.

Will employers always tell you if you passed or failed a background check? 

You may not always know if you passed a background check. However, thanks to the FCRA, you should always be informed if you did. An employer disqualifying you without taking the appropriate steps takes considerable legal risk. They could face lawsuits or even government fines for these violations.

Are you worried about what might show up during the hiring process? You can also run a background check on yourself to see what employers might see when they vet you. At backgroundchecks.com, we offer an easy and affordable solution for running background checks on yourself. Our self-check products include criminal history and driving record searches.

How long will it take an applicant to receive a final answer? 

Every employer uses a different process to conduct a background check. The type of background check they use may vary. Local and state laws may also impose requirements or create delays. For example, some states require employers to work directly with state police to procure public record information. Such efforts can take time. The timetables are often out of the employer’s hands in such scenarios.

You can quickly find the results of an employee background check. However, it might also take one to two weeks to hear anything. If it has been more than two weeks, contact the hiring managers at the business. Since timetables may vary, exercise patience. In some states, such as California, strict regulations can make verified background checks take quite some time to process.

Understand your background, and apply with confidence 

You can prepare yourself for the hiring process with educational resources and self-background check solutions from backgroundchecks.com. You should now understand when and how you will know if you passed or failed an employer background check. Remember, it is essential to understand what appears in your record. It may be the key to discussing your suitability with employers and securing a new role.