How Far Back Does a Criminal Background Check Go?

Conducting a criminal background check for employment as part of your screening procedure can reduce the odds of bringing in an employee with a troublesome criminal past.

A criminal history check will reveal the facts about your applicants. You will be informed if the prospective employee or candidate has a criminal background. A criminal history check is crucial because it reveals a person's trustworthiness and honesty. In addition, it will indicate whether the individual has been convicted of any crimes.

It also enables you to develop a dedicated workforce while limiting risk and safeguarding your company's brand. Using criminal record checks during the employment process allows you to:

• Reduce risk and establish a safe and secure workplace
• Protect assets, employees, and clients.
• Protect your business from liability lawsuits
• Keep your organization's reputation and community trust intact.
• Comply with federal, state, and local laws, as well as industry standards
• Enhance community safety and security

Pre-employment screening techniques are of great interest to potential employees and employers in today's extremely competitive market.

Checking applicants' criminal records is a common practice in the hiring process. However, there is yet to be a standard method for performing these audits. Several variables can affect this, including the nature of the background check you need, the place where you do business, and the candidate's location.

In response to a common inquiry from applicants who have been previously arrested, the length of time that employers look into applicants' backgrounds varies widely.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs numerous facets of pre-employment screening. However, this regulation contains no restrictions on the years an employer may evaluate the past. There are, consequently, no federal regulations governing lookback periods. Despite this, several jurisdictions have laws restricting the length of time that criminal background checks can cover.

Because the state often determines lookback periods, you must confirm the lookback time for the state where you seek employment.

However, the lookback period in a few states is seven years. There are, though, a few exceptions (generally for jobs that meet a salary threshold or require specialized reviews, such as those working in healthcare, finance, and trucking).

Regarding employment background checks, we at One2Verify go on top to ensure everything is done correctly and according to the rules. Please contact us for more information on our tailored background check packages for job verification.