The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sets the national standard for employment background checks. The FCRA is a federal law that provides permission for employers to request and seek information to confirm the documentation submitted by a potential employee for purposes of identity.

I recommend: Review Privacy Right Clearinghouse's guide on how to conduct a background check and the rules that govern the procedure.

Pre-employment screening

Pre-employment screening is the process of completing background checks to confirm the accuracy of a potential employment candidate's identity. A search of public records for birth records, credit reports and criminal history checks are typical searches conducted for screening an employment candidate.

I recommend: Visit 12manage to view a description of common searches to conduct for pre-employment screening.

I-9 form

The Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form is a requirement of the U.S. government for employers. According to governmental regulation, the form must be complete within a specified time period for new hires. This form often requires a combination of two forms of identification documentation such as a birth certificate, social security card, driver's license or work permit for non-citizens.

I recommend: Business.gov provides information related to the I-9 form as well as access to the actual form.

Character reference

Character references can consist of contact with past employers, peers and faculty to confirm education, skills and experiential history. A character reference supports or backs up a potential employee's claims about their personal qualities.

I recommend: e-VERIFILE.com offers pre-employment guidelines as it relates to obtaining information for character references.

Consumer reporting agency

A consumer reporting agency is any agency that receives pay or charges fees to conduct pre-employment screenings or background checks for the purpose of documenting credit worthiness, professional integrity or character references.

I recommend: Go to Wildman.com to view a working definition of a consumer reporting agency from a legal professional.

Work authorization

Work authorization refers to official permission granted by U.S. Immigration governing authorities to perform a job for wages. Non-citizens must meet eligibility requirements to obtain documentation to confirm they're legally permitted to work.

I recommend: National Immigration Law Center (NILC) offers detailed information about work authorization.