Background Check Form

Authorization Forms for Background Checks

Background checks are performed for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for a background check is likely for employment. Companies perform background checks on potential hires for many reasons. In recent years, companies have been sued for “negligent hiring.” Negligent hiring involves the hiring of an individual who is not fit for or qualified for the position. To protect against negligent hiring, companies perform background checks on their job candidates prior to hiring the candidate.

Background checks are also performed by companies for reasons such as:

• Verification of Education and Job History
  Once again, headlines include one of the heads of a popular search engine company who was recently found to have lied on his resume. He claimed to have obtained a computer science degree, which apparently did not happen. Widely publicized, high profile examples occur every few years, embarrassing the company harmed in the situation and undoubtedly causing responsible heads to roll.Many people stretch the truth on their resumes when it comes to job history and educational accomplishments. The internet, however, has provided instant access to information. Researching an individual’s degrees and job history is no longer an onerous process. Companies that provide background checks offer their services to businesses for a subscription-type fee.
• Protection of Children
  Companies and agencies that employ individuals to work with or around children are required to perform background checks on their potential employees.
• Protection of the Company
  Companies must be vigilant about the employees they hire to protect the business’ reputation and budget. Falsifying information on a resume is an act of fraud, though few are ever prosecuted for the offense. An unscrupulous individual may wreak havoc on a company’s reputation and may cost the company financially. The background check is one way to help the company weed out potentially harmful individuals and avoid hiring them.

What Does a Background Check Investigate?

A background check may be just a simple check of an individual’s Social Security number, or the background check may consist of a thorough investigation. In addition to Social Security number verification, other records that may be included in a background check are:

• Drivers License Records
• Vehicle Registration Records
• Credit History and Reports
• Criminal Records
• Educational Transcripts and Records
• Court Records and Matters of Public Record
• Past Employers and References

The position for which the applicant is applying determines the depth of the background check. For example, if the candidate is applying for a position that deals with highly sensitive information, the background check will likely be more detailed than for an applicant vying for a sales job.

The Background Check Authorization

In order for a potential employer to obtain a background check on a job candidate, the company needs to have the candidate’s written consent. Written consent is usually presented to the candidate in document form. The form contains a pre-written authorization paragraph with a signature line for the candidate. The candidate signs and dates the form to authorize the company to perform a background check on them.

Sample Background Authorization Forms

The Texas Workforce Commission publishes an online background check authorization form here.

The authorization form includes an expressly written permission statement that the signer allows the company to perform a background check. The authorization form indicates that the background check may be performed by an outside agency, and that withdrawal of permission for the check will result in nullification of their application.

Step Up for Students offers a template for the candidate to initiate and grant authorization to perform background checks. The PDF form is more detailed and requires identifying information for the applicant. The form may be downloaded here.

Sampleforms.org also provides another version of the authorization form here.