It’s a good idea to check whether you need a person’s permission before running a background check. You don’t want to get in legal trouble for it, after all. But the answer isn’t always clear and, ultimately, depends on the reasons for running the check in the first place.
If you just want to run a personal background check on someone, like a potential partner before a date or a new neighbor who just moved in next door, permission isn’t needed. In these instances, you can freely run a background check since the majority of results come from public records, which are available to anyone. Your background check service is tasked with pooling those records to create a comprehensive report.
However, due to FCRA regulations you can’t run a background check on someone without their permission if it’s to be used to make an important decision. Businesses hiring new employees and landlords looking for new tenants are the most common examples of when this would be the case. There are FCRA permission forms that must be signed before a background check can be run. This is particularly important since many specialist background check services go into much further detail than your everyday check. For example, they look at credit reports, tax records, and immigration status – all of which require permission before being checked.
When it comes to running background checks on a minor – something that may happen for companies that hire employees under 18 – permission is needed from the minor’s parent or guardian. This is because minors aren’t able to enter legally binding contracts, although the results you’ll get for a background check on a minor are limited anyway.
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More FAQs
- Can Background Checks Be Done on Minors?
- Do I Need Permission To Run a Background Check on Someone Else?
- Does a Background Check Include a Credit Report?
- Does a Background Check Include a Driving Record?
- Does a Background Check Include a Drug Test?
- Does a Background Check Include Tax Records?
- Does a Background Check Reveal Immigration Status?
- How Can I Do a Background Check?
- How Can I Remove My Name From Background Check Websites?
- How Far Back Do Background Checks Go?
- How Long Does a Background Check Take?
- How Much Does a Background Check Cost?
- Is a Background Check Legal?
- What Information Does a Background Check Show?
- What Is a Background Check?
- Will a Background Check Show My Employment History?
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