Background and Credit Checks

[happymomof4]

Have you had a background or credit check to get a job or to keep your job? Do you think companies should have a time limit on how far back they can hold something against you?



My dh had a job offer. The offer was pulled today because when they did a back ground check he had two disorderly conducts on his record. He couldn't supply court paperwork on either thing because they are from 1983 and 1994. When you have a disordely conduct in our state you just plead guilty and get a fine and it is done if you pay the fine. So their is no court paperwork it never goes past the local courthouse.

I just want other peoples opinion on this issue. I don't think that companies should hold anything over your head that is so old. On job applications they can't even ask about being arrested except if you were convicted of a Felony. It has a statue of limitations of 7 yrs.

[scooby8themall]

I've had 4 back ground checks done for my jobs CNA/Social worker and 1 for a special code number only I can use for a government agency to obtain personal info on clients . I had to go through 2 of these because I deal with clients social security numbers, medicare numbers and bank accounts so with that in mind I think they have to be real through so it probably depends on the job like a CNA can not have any abuse charges on them.
I don't know if they did a credit check or not.

[Inkstain82]

I think it's entirely up to the company whether they want to or not.

[ladykemma2]

for my job i am fingerprinted (texas teacher) and background check run. they check credit history every 90 days.

in my job interview i was open that i was a recovering drug addict and had been sober for 12 years. they hired me on the spot.

[Greebo]

Have you had a background or credit check to get a job or to keep your job? Do you think companies should have a time limit on how far back they can hold something against you?

Do you think there should be a time limit on how far back something can be held against a company?

I mean - look at Politicians - everything and I do mean everything gets dredged up about their backgrounds. When Clinton was running the first time we heard about everything from trips to the USSR to whether or not he inhaled.

I'm not saying it's necessarily fair - but people aren't fair. They SHOULD be - but they aren't.

If a company hires someone with a spotty record - even if the spots are old and faded - for a position of prominence, then they have to consider whether that can be used against them. "Oh that XYZ company, they hire CRIMINALS for the senior management..."

[daughter of pearl]

All the jobs I've had have involved police reference checks. Interesting: where I live, you can have a national record expunged but it will still show up in your local check. And it is not just convictions that show up; it is suspected's as well as witness to's, which I think is WRONG! What does it tell you about me if I witnessed a crime?

Because I work with vulernable people, do home visits, etc., I feel that it is perfectly appropriate to do these checks. If someone were visiting my father (83 years old, lives alone) I would want to know that they had been checked, and weren't likely to victimize him.

[Greebo]

All the jobs I've had have involved police reference checks. Interesting: where I live, you can have a national record expunged but it will still show up in your local check. And it is not just convictions that show up; it is suspected's as well as witness to's, which I think is WRONG! What does it tell you about me if I witnessed a crime?

That you were willing to go to court and testify about it.

Which some may see positively and some may see as a negative - if they're less than honest...

[happymomof4]

All the jobs I've had have involved police reference checks. Interesting: where I live, you can have a national record expunged but it will still show up in your local check. And it is not just convictions that show up; it is suspected's as well as witness to's, which I think is WRONG! What does it tell you about me if I witnessed a crime?

Basically this is what happen to my husband. It is a local check and it was a domistic desbute with his ex wife. Just verbal and loud is the way his family talks. Of course this is way before we met. I have had no issues with my husband. So I believe is family.

This job had nothing to do with working with people like schools or older people. It is a computer software position for a well known bank. Which is what we didn't question the credit checks. My husband has worked for Merck, Vanguard, Blue Cross, Aetna, and other bank company's. He didn't have an issues with his background with them.

My dh has had background and credit checks done before. We only had this issue come up once before. All the other places we didn't have an issue with it. This is one reason why dh won't start a job until they have all this back. The last company he was working for them for 4 months before they question his background and had an issue with the it. This was years ago.


Well the good thing about the whole thing. Is dh has another interview today with a different company and no background checks are needed for this position. Not sure if this will work out but at least the job market seems to be opening in dh's field. He hasn't had an interviews for along time. To get 2 in one week is a great even if they don't work out.

[daughter of pearl]

Okay, Greebo, I seriously NEVER thought of it like that before. I guess in that vein, I don't mind it being there so much.

[Greebo]

This is one reason why dh won't start a job until they have all this back. The last company he was working for them for 4 months before they question his background and had an issue with the it. This was years ago.

Did DH advise them during the interview process that they would learn this about him?

I am wiling to rent to people with questionable backgrounds. Case in point, on Sunday I'm signing a lease with a woman who has a criminal record (prostitution) and is addicted to Narcotics (3 years clean).

Why am I willing to rent to her?

Because she TOLD me I'd find these things on her background. She TOLD me she was a recovering addict, that she had a criminal record, that she had resulting bad credit, etc.

Had I run the checks and also found that she had burglary, murder, or other charges, then I wouldn't lease to her. Instead, she told me up front, "I have a bad past. I've been clean for 3 years, but you will find X, Y and Z" and I did - and when I called her references including her boss, again - her story checked out.

Lie to me - whether overtly or by omission - and you will never, ever do business with me.

[Contrary Housewife]

The employer doesn't know what the Disorderly is for, only that it was enough that the police got called. And he DID plead guilty to the charge, even if you think it was unjustified 25 years later. They decided they did not want to take that risk with your husband in their office, even if it is an old charge.

My DH gets checked all the time. He often works with people's personal information, bank account numbers, social security numbers, credit cards, etc. and on government contracts. He has left two jobs because of supervisors who got a little more than "disorderly" on him, too. Those people could have cost the company huge lawsuits.

[daughter of pearl]

Case in point: I once interviewed for a job and there was short-term job on my resume which was short-term because I had left under bad circumstances (not fired, but quit suddenly because of shady business practices on the part of the employer)...the interviewer asked why I was there such a short-time; I panicked and lied and said that it was just a contract.

After I left, I felt so bad, I called the woman back, and explained the situation (leaving out the part about the shady business practice because to discuss that would be unrpofessional) and confessed the lie. I told her that I understood that this would take me out of the running for the position, but that I felt that I needed to clear it up.

I got the job.

[Saydee]

If a person is applying for police officers, federal agents, teaching positions etc. they definitely need to go back as far as possible to make sure there are no major problems in the person's background.

There's a bunch of sick people out there.

[MomToTwoBoys]

I support employers that do background and credit checks for the person's entire lifespan. Even if something happens when they're 16, there's a distinct chance that it could happen again.

No one's completely reformed of anything they did in their lifetime. Employers have the right to reference check any employee. It's a matter of safety, security and ensuring that every employee is right for that company.

I wouldn't want someone posing a risk to my safety because I didn't make a thorough check on them.

[Libby]

Sorry to be the party pooper but think about all those that do have a shady past and just never got caught