June 2016 magazine

Everything You Need To Know About Background
Checks and Pre-Employment Screening
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Those applying for jobs that could pose a threat to security will also be screened more thoroughly.
These include law enforcement, airport and airline related, and national security jobs. Also, people who
work in shipping ports will have to pass a more extensive background check.
Why Would Someone Run A Background Check on Me?
The most common reason someone would run a background check on you is when you are applying for
a job. The extra steps in the screening process that are part of the background check give employers
greater peace of mind when hiring new employees. Background checks can prevent employers from
hiring employees who are not qualified or could cause problems in the workplace. Under federal law,
and in some states, background checks are required for a person to be eligible for certain jobs.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) clearly defines what information can be accessed in a
background check conducted during pre-employment screening. An employer that is using a thirdparty
company to conduct a background check must disclose that they are running a background check
to the applicant. Certain pieces of information (education, military and medical records) must be
requested via special permission by the applicant. Landlords may also request a background check to
screen tenants. These background checks include credit, criminal and employment history. For the
purchase of firearms and explosives, the federal government has created the National Instant Criminal
Background Check System (NICS). Buyers must fill out a form that initiates the background check
process. It is usually a quick process, however, the FBI may take up to three days to process a NICS
request. Once three days have passed, the buyer can purchase the firearm or explosive - even if there
are no results received. Background checks and the sale of guns is controversial as no background check
is federally required if the transaction is through a private seller (which is frequently referred to as the
"gun show loophole").
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