Glossary
Simple definitions of background screening terms.
A
Adjudication
The process an employer uses to review background check results against its hiring standards or decision criteria.
Adverse Action
A negative employment decision based in whole or in part on information contained in a background check report.
Adverse Action Notice
The final notice sent to an applicant after an employer decides to take adverse action based on a background check report.
Alias
Another name associated with a person, such as a maiden name, former legal name, nickname, or name variation.
Applicant
A person applying for employment, volunteer work, licensing, or another position that may require a background check.
Applicant Rights
The rights applicants have under federal, state, and local laws when a background check is used for employment purposes.
Authorization
The signed document an applicant completes giving an employer or consumer reporting agency permission to request a background check report.
B
Background Check Authorization Form
The document an applicant signs to give written permission for a background check to be requested. Under the FCRA, this form must generally be a separate, standalone document.
Background Check
A review of information about a person’s history, which may include criminal records, employment, education, driving records, identity information, or other records depending on the purpose of the check.
Background Screening
The process of obtaining and reviewing background information to help evaluate an applicant, employee, volunteer, or contractor.
Ban the Box
Laws that restrict when employers may ask applicants about criminal history during the hiring process.
Batch Order
A group of background check requests submitted together, often used by employers with high volume hiring needs.
C
Candidate
A person being considered for employment, contract work, volunteer work, or another role. Sometimes used interchangeably with applicant.
Chain of Custody
The documented process that tracks a drug test specimen from collection through laboratory analysis to ensure the sample has not been tampered with or mishandled.
Civil Record Search
A search for civil court records, which may include lawsuits, judgments, restraining orders, or other noncriminal court matters.
Compliance
The process of following applicable laws, rules, policies, and procedures when requesting, using, and reporting background check information.
Consent
The applicant’s legal agreement to allow a background check to be conducted. Often used interchangeably with authorization, though authorization typically refers to the signed document itself.
Consumer
Under the FCRA, the individual who is the subject of a consumer report.
Consumer File
The information a consumer reporting agency maintains about a consumer.
Consumer Report
A report prepared by a consumer reporting agency that may contain information used for employment, credit, housing, insurance, or other permitted purposes.
Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA)
A company that assembles or evaluates consumer information for use by employers, creditors, landlords, insurers, or other users with a permissible purpose.
Continuous Monitoring
An ongoing screening process that alerts an employer or organization when certain new records or changes are identified after an initial background check.
County Criminal Search
A criminal record search conducted at the county court level, often considered an important source for employment background checks.
Court Fees
Fees charged by courts, court vendors, or access systems to retrieve certain public records.
Criminal Database Search
A search of compiled criminal record databases, which may include records from multiple jurisdictions and sources.
Criminal Record
A record related to an arrest, charge, conviction, sentence, or other criminal court matter.
Criminal Record Search
A search for criminal history information from courts, databases, law enforcement sources, or other public record sources.
D
Data Furnisher
An organization or source that provides information to a consumer reporting agency or database.
Disclosure
A notice provided to an applicant or employee explaining that a background check may be obtained for employment purposes.
Disposition
The outcome or current status of a criminal case, such as dismissed, convicted, pending, or acquitted.
Dispute
A request by a consumer to challenge information in a background check report that the consumer believes is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.
Driving Record
A record of a person’s driving history, which may include license status, violations, accidents, suspensions, or endorsements.
Drug Testing
A screening process used to detect certain drugs or substances, usually through urine, saliva, hair, or other approved testing methods.
E
Education Verification
A process used to confirm a person’s degree, diploma, attendance dates, school name, or other education related information.
Electronic Consent
Consent provided electronically, often through an online background check authorization process.
Employment Background Check
A background check requested for employment purposes, usually by an employer or its authorized representative.
Employment Verification
A process used to confirm a person’s previous or current employment, including job title, dates of employment, and sometimes other employment details.
End User
The employer, organization, or other entity that requests and uses a background check report for a permitted purpose.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The federal agency that enforces certain workplace discrimination laws and provides guidance related to employment practices.
Expungement
A legal process that removes, seals, or limits access to certain records, depending on the law of the jurisdiction.
F
Fair Chance Law
A law that gives applicants with criminal history a fair opportunity to be considered for employment before criminal history is reviewed.
Fair Credit Reporting Act
A federal law that regulates how consumer reports are obtained, used, and shared.
FCRA
The Fair Credit Reporting Act, a federal law that applies to many background checks used for employment purposes.
Federal Criminal Search
A search of federal court records for cases prosecuted in federal courts, which are separate from county and state criminal courts.
Felony
A serious criminal offense that may carry more severe penalties than a misdemeanor.
Final Adverse Action
The final step in the adverse action process when an employer confirms a negative employment decision after giving the applicant required notices and time to respond.
G
Global Watchlist Search
A search of certain domestic and international sanctions, watchlists, and restricted party lists.
I
I-9 Verification
The process employers use to verify an employee’s identity and authorization to work in the United States.
Identity Verification
A process used to help confirm that a person is who they claim to be.
Individualized Assessment
A process where an employer evaluates the specific nature of a criminal offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the job before making a hiring decision. Recommended by the EEOC and required under some state and local fair chance laws.
Investigative Consumer Report
A type of consumer report that may include information obtained through personal interviews about a person’s character, reputation, or mode of living.
L
Lookback Period
The time period a background check covers. Lookback periods may be defined by employer policy, state law, or federal reporting limits depending on the type of record being searched.
M
Maiden Name
A prior surname that may appear in records and may be searched as an alias when relevant.
Misdemeanor
A criminal offense that is generally less serious than a felony but may still be relevant depending on the position and applicable law.
Motor Vehicle Report
A report from a state motor vehicle agency showing license status and driving history.
MRO (Medical Review Officer)
A licensed physician responsible for reviewing and interpreting drug test results, including evaluating any legitimate medical explanations before a result is reported to an employer.
N
National Criminal Database
A compiled database search that may include criminal record information from multiple sources, often used as a pointer search rather than a final court record source.
Name Match
A potential record match based primarily on name information, which may require additional identifiers before it can be confirmed.
Notice of Rights
A notice explaining certain rights a consumer has under the FCRA or other applicable laws.
O
OFAC Search
A search of lists maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control involving certain sanctions and restricted parties.
Ongoing Monitoring
See: Continuous Monitoring.
P
Permissible Purpose
A legally allowed reason for requesting or using a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Pre-Adverse Action
A step in the adverse action process where an employer provides notice before making a final negative employment decision based on a background check report.
Pre-Adverse Action Notice
A notice sent to an applicant before a final adverse employment decision is made based on a background check report.
Professional License Verification
A process used to confirm whether a person holds a professional license, certification, or credential.
Public Record
A record maintained by a government agency or court that may be available to the public, subject to access rules and reporting limits.
R
Reasonable Procedures
Procedures consumer reporting agencies use to promote accuracy and compliance when preparing consumer reports.
Reinvestigation
The process a consumer reporting agency follows when reviewing a consumer dispute about information in a report.
Reporting Limit
A restriction on how far back certain information may be reported, depending on federal, state, or local law.
Rescreening
A later background check performed after an initial check, often for employees, contractors, or volunteers.
S
Salary History Ban
A law that restricts employers from asking about or relying on an applicant’s prior compensation history.
Sanctions Search
A search for individuals or entities appearing on certain sanctions or restricted party lists.
Screening Package
A group of background check services bundled together for a particular hiring need or role.
Sealed Record
A court record that has been restricted from public access by court order or law. Sealed records generally should not appear in background check reports, though rules vary by jurisdiction.
Seven Year Reporting Limit
A reporting restriction that limits certain types of information to a seven year period, depending on the law and type of record.
Sex Offender Registry Search
A search of available sex offender registry information from state or national registry sources.
Social Security Number Trace
A search that may identify names, aliases, and address history associated with a Social Security number.
SSN Trace
A common abbreviation for Social Security Number Trace.
State Criminal Search
A criminal record search using available state level criminal record sources.
Statewide Criminal Search
A criminal record search that checks available records across a state, depending on the state’s system and record availability.
Summary of Rights
A document that explains certain consumer rights under the FCRA or other applicable laws.
T
Tenant Screening
A background screening process used to evaluate applicants for housing or rental purposes, typically by landlords or property management companies.
Turnaround Time (TAT)
The amount of time it takes to complete a background check or a specific screening service.
V
Verification
The process of confirming information provided by an applicant, such as employment, education, license, or identity details.
Volunteer Background Check
A background check used to screen individuals who volunteer for organizations, events, schools, nonprofits, or other programs.