FAQs About Background Verification

Background checks are often conducted by potential employers, current employers, foster care agencies and licensing agencies for child care. Many organizations now use background verification to determine whether or not to hire a person or issue a license.

Q: What is a background check?

A: A background check is when someone conducts a search on someone's background. These are usually done via computer either by the person who wants the background check or through an agency that specializes in background checks.

Q: What do they check in a background check?

A: It depends on what the person is looking for. In some cases, the person conducting the background check only wants to know if the other person has a criminal record. If someone is applying for a job working with children, a background check includes a search of the sex offender database and the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry. Many employers now check potential employees credit history as well. When a background check is conducted for government agencies to determine a security clearance level, the background check is more intensive. With these checks, they check criminal records, arrest records, sex offender and child abuse registries and often call or visit family, friends and former employers to ask questions about the person's past and their character.

Q: Can background checks find juvenile records?

A: Again, it depends on who is conducting the check. Background checks for government security clearance do include juvenile records. Most other companies and organizations do not have access to juvenile records unless the person was convicted of a crime as a juvenile in the adult court system.