When you are a candidate for a job or promotion, your prospective or current employer may conduct a background check. They will want to obtain more information about your employment history, credit report, criminal records, driving records, bankruptcy compensation, drug and alcohol test results and possibly more.
Due to the criticality of these checks, they need to be accurate. However, the employer may receive inaccurate results from a background check company. This may occur due to different reasons, including common names, identity theft and misinformation.
Employers should inform job applicants or employees if a background check report is why they lost an opportunity. If this is your case, and you believe the negative information is a mistake, there are things you can do.
Request a copy of the report
You have the right to request a copy of the background check report and details of the agency that conducted it, including its name, address and phone number.
Dispute incorrect information
If you notice inaccurate information when reviewing the report, you should notify the employer and dispute the matter with the agency in question.
Provide the company with evidence
If the background check company gave a report of someone with a similar name to yours, provide them with differentiating details like your Social Security number. If the report includes information that should not be included in background checks, like a criminal record that was expunged or sealed, provide documents that prove that.
The agency will assess the information you provide to verify its accuracy. If it’s accurate, they must correct or remove the incorrect details within 30 days. Once they do this, you can notify the employer if you would like to be reconsidered for the position.
Inaccurate background checks can cost you significantly. With legal guidance, you can better protect your employment opportunities and rights.
