Employers seek to protect their companies and their employees. Employers who hire applicants without conducting background checks can be held, and have been held, financially liable for the actions of that employee. Court awards have cost employers millions of dollars.
Employers also seek to protect company assets.
Background checks add an important piece to the applicant's total information profile. The results serve to confirm impressions from interviews and assessments from testing. They increase the likelihood that the applicant is right for the job. Obtaining background information on an applicant is a legitimate part of the screening process. Naturally the information must be obtained and used in legal ways.