A background check is a process in which a company requests a copy of a person’s criminal history from a credit-reporting agency. A job offer can be rescinded if the individual has been convicted of one or more crimes.
If this happens to you, there are steps you can take to try and get your job offer reinstated. If your employer rescinds your job offer because of something they found on the background check, they will typically provide you with an explanation of why and tell you how to appeal the decision.
The best step for you to take is to contact them and ask what they want you to do next. They may ask that you wait 60 days before reapplying for the new position, but they can also allow you to reapply immediately.
You will need to convince them that hiring you would be good for their company and would not put anyone at risk.
What is a background check?
Typically, a background check is done on an individual before they are hired for a job. It usually includes information about the individual’s work history, education, and criminal history.
Background checks are typically done to help employers make sure that their new employee’s past does not contain bad habits or convictions that may jeopardize the company’s security or reputation.
An employer can rescind an offer if they find something that will affect your ability to do your job during a background check. If this happens, you will need to contact them and explain why it should not affect your position with the company.
You can use examples of how you have been successful in the past without any problems related to what was found during the background check. The employer will then decide whether or not you should be offered another opportunity with their company.
Why does a background check matter?
Background checks are a standard process for many employers. If you have been convicted of a crime, your employer will probably perform a background check to see if that information invalidates your eligibility for a position.
For example, if you have been convicted of driving under the influence, an employer may not want to hire you because it would put everyone on the road at risk. In this post, we’ll go over the reasons why background checks matter and offer some advice on what to do when they don’t work in your favor.
What should you do if you get a failed background check after getting a job offer?
A background check is a common part of the hiring process. Unfortunately, it can also lead to one of the most frustrating situations for both job seekers and employers: when an offer is rescinded because of a failed background check.
If this happens to you, there are steps you can take to try and get your job offer reinstated. You’ve just been offered your dream job. You love the company, the people you’ll be working with, and the salary.
The only problem is that there’s a small hitch: your background check came back “failed.” Does this mean you should give up on your dream job? Not at all! There are plenty of things to do if the background check doesn’t come back clear.
Sometimes it just takes a little bit of detective work to find out what’s causing the issue. But sometimes there’s nothing you can do to fix it.
Contact your employer to request a reconsideration
If your job offer has been rescinded because of something on your background check, the first step you need to take is to contact your employer. They will likely provide you with an explanation of why they withdrew the offer and tell you how to appeal the decision.
Depending on their response, you may be able to reapply for the position once 60 days have passed or you may have to wait until another position becomes available. The most important thing is that you are polite when talking to them about this situation.
You want them to understand that hiring you would be a good idea and they won’t regret it in the long run.
Wait 60 days before reapplying for the position
A background check is a necessary process for many employers, but it can be nerve-wracking for candidates. Chances are, if you’ve been offered a new position and then rejected because of your background check, you’re feeling frustrated and upset.
However, there are steps you can take to hopefully get the job offer reinstated.
First and foremost: contact your employer and find out what they want you to do next. They may ask that you wait 60 days before reapplying for the new position, or they can allow you to reapply immediately.
You will need to convince them that hiring you would be good for their company and would not put anyone at risk.
Why might you get a failed background check?
Sometimes, your background check might be flagged for something you didn’t know was an issue. For example, you might have a credit card that’s charged off or an old parking ticket that’s overdue.
These are things that can lower the score of your background check and cause it to fail. It might seem like there’s nothing you can do about these issues, but don’t give up on your dream job just yet!
There are still some things you can do to come up with a strategy to fix the situation. First, take a look at what has caused the failed background check. You might be able to quickly clear out any small issues by updating your information on the report.
If there are larger issues, like unpaid medical bills or past due tax debt, you’ll need to come up with a plan for how to resolve those problems first before coming back for another background check.
What to do if the background check doesn’t come back clear?
If you get a failed background check, that doesn’t mean the job offer is gone. There are still steps you can take to clear up the issue.
Here are some steps to take if the company has not rescinded its offer:
- Find out why your background check came back failed in the first place. This may be as simple as an error in your application or an incomplete form on your part.
- If there’s nothing you can do to fix it, see if the company will work with you to find a solution. For example, they might be willing to wait until you have fixed any issues with your background check before starting work, have you sign a release for them to release your records, or allow you to finish your checks in between jobs.
- If they refuse and rescinded the offer, ask them for feedback on what went wrong with your application process so that you can improve it next time around.
Fixing a failed background check and getting your dream job
Regardless of the background check result, it’s important to have a conversation with your employer about the issue. “We’re sorry that you had a bad experience with your background check,” they might say. “What can we do to help?”
If you’re lucky enough to work in an office setting, this conversation might take place in person or over the phone. But if you work remotely or are in an entirely different time zone, you’ll need to send an email.
Be sure not to jump into how much you want them to change their minds about hiring you right away! It’s important to be respectful of all parties involved. If you can’t fix the problem, don’t make any decisions too quickly about what your next steps should be.
Just because your background check didn’t turn up clear doesn’t mean there aren’t other options for employment available that wouldn’t require one. You just need to find out which ones are available and explore them before making any rash decisions.
If you can’t fix it, what should you do?
If you can’t figure out what’s causing the background check to come back “failed” you should talk to your employer. They might be able to help you come up with a plan for fixing the issue or they may be able to offer you a different position.
If your employer isn’t helping, don’t fret! There are other ways to solve this problem. For example, if you’re unable to upgrade your background check, it might be possible to get your current employer to sign off on the issue.
For example, if you forgot to update an address with one of your previous employers and it’s now showing up as delinquent on the background check, ask your current employer for help resolving this issue instead of giving up on your dream job.
The background check process
- The job offer is rescinded.
- A background check is conducted.
- The employer views the report and decides whether to hire the candidate.
- The background check can sometimes be delayed due to privacy concerns, but it is not uncommon for a background check to be completed within hours or days of an interview.
- When you are hired, it’s important to know what questions the company will ask about your background, how the company will use that information, and if the company will provide an incentive for you to complete a background check in advance of hiring.
- It’s also important to remember that information given by your employer may have been obtained through other sources than a background check, such as an arrest record or court documents.
Who depends on a background check?
In the United States, background checks are required for nearly every job, including those with low pay and no benefits. This requirement is generally called the “Fair Credit Reporting Act” (FCRA) and it was passed by Congress in 1970.
Each applicant for such jobs must receive a written statement from the employer stating that they have permission to use their credit report. The FCRA requires employers to give applicants this permission before they hire them, but some employers do not comply with this requirement, such as corporations that do not provide employees with health insurance or pensions.
Some states also require employers to provide employees with a copy of their credit report when they hire them for certain types of work, even when the employer does not permit background checks on prospective employees.
The FRCA (and its predecessor laws) require employers to obtain private information about an applicant from two sources: the Social Security Administration and each state’s department of public safety.
The Social Security Administration will require an employer to get a “social security number” from an applicant, or else risk being fined if it does not complete the process within 30 days after receiving its request for information from each state’s department of public safety.
Those who do not comply with this law may be fined up to $10,000 per violation usually paid out by the government through fees collected through taxes on businesses and individuals. When hiring someone, employers should ask applicants whether they have ever been arrested or charged in any way with any crime whatsoever, even if no charges are pending against them at that time (criminal records are considered closed).
Employers should also ask applicants whether they have ever been incarcerated or placed into any kind of correctional facility (including jails), juvenile detention centers (for young people), immigration detention centers (for undocumented people), or probation/interdiction programs (for people who have already been convicted and sentenced).
For better business practices and fairness among applicants, many companies will provide applicants with letters from law enforcement agencies confirming that there were no charges filed against them at all during that time.
Background checks and employment screening
No law requires employers to perform background checks on employees. If they do, they are not required to follow up to address any associated problems. If a background check is issued and the employer doesn’t address any of the issues in the report, it can be rescinded.
This means the employer will not get a chance to rehire or re-hire an employee, who would have otherwise been hired. Background checks for employment screening can be done with or without criminal history information.
Both approaches have their pros and cons. A background check is a form of job screening where a company (or an individual) requests a copy of a person’s criminal history from a credit reporting agency like Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax.
The background check shows whether the applicant has had previous charges for crimes such as DUI, theft, or other crimes which may show up during an employment application process.
Background checks are also used when hiring vendors and contractors after conducting extensive due diligence on them as well as verifying their credit reports and/or checking their financial records before signing any contracts with them.
A background check might also be used by business partners before signing a contract with each other to verify that they are who they say they are and conduct business transactions with them efficiently and securely without any risk of fraud or untoward actions by either party.
An individual can hire an attorney who will conduct background checks on him/herself and then submit his/her completed form to their state’s bar association for use through that entity’s online system before signing a legal document (such as an employment agreement).
This is known as “pro bono” work (for free). The fact that one’s attorney conducts this process does not mean that he/she has been convicted of any crime; it merely means that his/her attorney has served on some court case related to the same matter(s) for which he/she provided legal representation (and therefore may have obtained certain information about another’s a past criminal record).
Background checks performed by attorneys are generally more reliable than those performed by companies using private investigators. A company using private detectives must pay these individuals based upon how skilled they believe themselves to be at conducting background checks (although some private detectives charge far less than what is charged by law enforcement agencies).
Conclusion
A background check is one of the most important steps in the hiring process. Getting one done is an essential part of finding the right person for the job. However, it is important to know that there are some cases where a background check can come back as “failed” instead of pass.
If you are in this situation, there are a few different things you can do. If you know what is causing the problem, it is possible to fix it. But if you don’t know what’s wrong, you will need to check with your company to see if they will accept an incomplete background check.
If this is not an option, there are other ways to find jobs.
Frequently asked questions
Question 1.) What is a background check?
Answer- It usually includes information about the individual’s work history, education, and criminal history.
Question 2.) What should you do if you get a failed background check after getting a job offer?
Answer- Contact your employer to request a reconsideration.
Question 3.) Why might you get a failed background check?
Answer- Sometimes, your background check might be flagged for something you didn’t know was an issue.
