fcra

Part 3 of 4: Are Instant Criminal Background Checks Compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

While the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) does not explicitly address instant search results provided by databases, recent penalties imposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has answered this question clearly; instant searches alone are not compliant with the FCRA.  If you use background checks to help you make business decisions, it’s important that both you and your background check provider remain in compliance with the FCRA.  If you do not comply with the FCRA, you are exposing your business to significant and avoidable litigation risk.  

Why Running a Criminal Background Check is an All or Nothing Proposition

Why Running a Criminal Background Check is an All or Nothing Proposition

If you are looking into an individual's criminal record, it's best to take an all or nothing approach.  Either fully commit to checking each possible jurisdiction for possible criminal records, or don't check any at all and operate on faith.  (I don't recommend operating on faith)  Performing anything in between can result in misinformation, a false sense of security and regulatory non-compliance which means serious financial liability for you and your company.