Understanding Walmart Background Check Policies

Walmart is the single biggest United States-based employer, employing more than 1.6 million people nationwide. Walmart locations provide many job and career opportunities in both large cities and small rural communities. As such a major employer, it is a popular destination for job applicants across many demographics. No matter the specifics about a job applicant’s personal history, most people have one common question: does Walmart have a background check policy?

Does Walmart Do Background Checks? Are They Required?

Yes, Walmart requires job applicants to submit to a background check before hiring. In 2004, the company began performing criminal history checks on all new hires nationwide. The policy change occurred in part because of a negligent hiring lawsuit brought by the parents of a young girl assaulted by a store employee, of a 10-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by a Walmart employee while shopping at the store. While the company was not found to be negligent in hiring the worker, the company chose to tighten its hiring policies anyway.

However, Walmart banned the box in 2014. This change means the company does not ask questions about criminal history on its job applications. You will not see sections such as “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” on their applications. Instead, a background check occurs later in the hiring process. Walmart provides a conditional job offer before requiring you to submit to a background check. What else do you need to know about background checks?

What Walmart Job Roles Require a Background Check?

Anyone who receives a conditional job offer from Walmart must complete the screening process. This policy applies across the company, whether in a corporate position or at the individual store level. You should expect vetting in any position, but some examples include:

• Stock clerk
• Cashier
• Self check-out attendant
• Electronics associate
• Department manager
• Store manager
• Sporting goods clerks, especially in stores that sell firearms and ammunition.

Corporate job roles such as purchasing agents, accounting, human resources, and others will also face background checks.

Can You Skip a Background Check and Still Work for Walmart?

No. Walmart provides job offers conditional on the completion of the background check procedure. Any individual can decline to submit to the background check. No employer can force someone to undergo vetting—that would violate the law. However, declining a background check is the same as declining the offer. Failure to complete the required screening will result in the withdrawal of the job offer.

Walmart and Sam’s Club vendors working must also use background checks per the company’s policies. At backgroundchecks.com, we created the VendorSAFE program to support such teams in their hiring efforts. See how vendors can enroll in this program to comply with Walmart’s requirements.

What Will Walmart Look for in Your Background Check?

Walmart aims to identify and evaluate potential risk factors in the context of an individual’s suitability. Avoiding negligent hiring is vital. The background check process helps reveal red flags that could make someone a risky hire. With that in mind, Walmart evaluates criminal records for serious, recent, and relevant criminal convictions. The company may look for:

• Violent felonies
• Sex offenses
• Major drug-related crimes
• Major non-violent felonies, such as those involving theft or property damage.

Walmart does not disclose its evaluation criteria, but the company does make a case-by-case evaluation of all applicants. The company continues to hire individuals with past felony convictions. Important factors include the crime’s history and whether there are other recent convictions. Because Walmart bans the box, a hiring manager can more thoroughly evaluate a candidate’s record in context.

Walmart background checks may go beyond the criminal history check, too. The company may verify information on the resume or job application. Such facts often include such as employment history and education. The company has been known to dismiss employees for lying about their backgrounds. For example, in 2014, Walmart ousted David Tovar, a vice president of corporate communications. He lied about his educational background. Applicants should provide truthful, verifiable information on applications.

How Far Back Does Walmart check Your Record?

A criminal history report may contain criminal convictions for an indefinite period. However, Walmart uses a common time-based standard for evaluating reports. The company uses a 7-year-long “lookback” period. If a criminal conviction on someone’s record is older than seven years, the company may not evaluate it during hiring.

What Must You Supply for Walmart’s Background Checks?

Applicants will need to provide a few items of personal information for a background check to occur. This data includes the applicant’s name (or other names used) and their date of birth. In some states that require credit checks for certain financial positions, applicants may need to provide a Social Security number.

Applicants must also complete a Fair Credit Reporting Act consent form. Walmart must provide the applicant notice about how it will use consumer reports in hiring. After receiving this notice, applicants give signed consent to have the check take place.

How Long do Background Checks Take for Walmart Jobs?

Walmart uses a third-party vendor to conduct a background check. The precise length of time it takes to receive a completed report may vary. Different factors can influence how long it takes. For example, some states limit who can access criminal history data and how. Other states, such as California, make it more difficult to associate criminal records with the right individual. These factors may create delays in the hiring process. In normal circumstances, it may take between 5 and 10 business days for Walmart to complete its background check.

What’s Next if I Don’t Pass the Background Check?

Under the FCRA, employers must follow a specific process to deny an applicant because of a background check. This is the “adverse action” process. If Walmart declines to hire someone, they must provide a “pre-adverse action” notice. They must then wait for the applicant to provide clarifying information or dispute discrepancies. If this dispute process does not change the outcome, applicants receive a final adverse action notice that ends the hiring opportunity.

Prepare for This Part of the Hiring Process

The chance to work at Walmart can open the door to new opportunities for many people. Worries about passing the background check are common among applicants. To prepare to work with a company such as Walmart, applicants may want to understand what employers will see. With help from backgroundchecks.com, you can do just that. Order your own background check report today. This report pulls from the same database of records we use to report results to prospective employers. Review your background and understand how to approach the hiring process with Walmart best today.