In the United State most companies who carry liability insurance are required to conduct background screening on applicants for jobs. The requirement to conduct background screening can, however, differ in many ways. Some companies require a Background Search that is detailed and specific while others screen applicants based solely on the job they are being hired to do.

Policies regarding background screening in the United States are uniform for companies. The regulations of the Federal government regarding hiring practices are very clear about what types of screenings may be conducted. It is also required that applicants for jobs agree to each type of screening that will be conducted prior to hiring. If they do not agree to a type of background screening they may refuse to allow the screening to take place.

Ensuring that applicants for a position are drug and alcohol free and do not have a history of drug and alcohol abuse can be very difficult for an interviewer. There are many indicators present when a person is under the influence of drugs and alcohol that are not apparent when a person is not under the influence. Therefore it was necessary for businesses to be able to positively ascertain that a potential employee did not have this history in order for insurance companies to assume the liability of the business.

The other purpose of a criminal background screening is to find out if the individual applying for a position has a history of criminal behavior. The second high risk for a business is an employee with a history of assault or other criminal behavior working among customers and equipment on a daily basis. The criminal background check is also required for many positions by the government. This is especially true if the individual will be working in an environment that houses the elderly or other sensitive areas.

A single form with the list of background screenings to be completed is presented to an applicant prior to being hired. This list can include criminal background and credit background, as well as a motor vehicle background screening if the individual will be driving. While the criminal background screening is mandatory for hire, there are a few incidents when the credit and motor vehicle screenings are also required for a job applicant.

As is their right, many job applicants do not allow a credit background screening to be conducted by a business if the job is not related to the financial sector. In the United States the credit score of an individual is an important tool when they wish to buy a home or make a large purchase. A credit screening is reflected on a credit score and it is lowered automatically which can impact the ability of an individual to make a purchase. Very few companies use a credit screening as a decisive factor in hiring an applicant and for many individuals providing this personal and private information to a company is not something they wish to do.

A criminal background check is conducted using fingerprints. Many companies conduct a state-wide criminal history check that will reflect any criminal activity within the specific state. These types of criminal screenings do not, however, reflect criminal history that has occurred in other states. The request for this type of criminal background screening is conducted in the state where it is requested and takes from four to six weeks for results to be returned.

When a more extensive Background Search is required, a company may send the request to both their state office and the federal government. The federal government maintains a database that includes criminal information from almost every state and has up to date records of criminal histories for any individual who has been arrested, tried, and convicted of a felony. The database that holds these records is very large and the results from this screening can take several months to receive.