Answer

What is the most common background check?

Pre-employment background checks are the most common. As an employer, you want to ensure a safe hire every time to protect your company’s reputation and workplace safety. Employees are often screened during the hiring process with a background check according to the company’s policy. Depending on the employer and the industry, background checks can vary greatly.

Depending on the scope of the search allowable by law or requested by an employer, records of convictions of a felony or misdemeanor are usually reported on a background check. Non-convictions may be reported in some cases depending on the date of the charge or whether a case has been dismissed. Federal and state law will determine how far back criminal records can be reported.

A felony is typically defined as a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty. Felonies may include crimes such as arson, assault, battery, fraud, homicide, kidnapping, rape, robbery, sex crimes, and terrorism.

Misdemeanors are often less serious crimes and are generally punishable by less than 12 months in jail. Community service, probation, fines, and imprisonment for less than a year are commonly issued punishments for misdemeanors. Obviously, each state may vary as to what is classified as a misdemeanor or felony.

Not all background checks are the same and those quicker, cheaper screenings you come across online won’t offer the same in-depth research for an applicant. Most employers use comprehensive background checks, like DISA’s, to ensure accuracy and prevent any mix-ups with aliases.

DISA Global Solutions is only responsible for reporting background check results to your employer. Your employer or HR representative is responsible for reporting your background check status since they ultimately determine hiring decisions.