The employment credit report will not contain account information, spousal information or other personal information that would not have relevance to an employment offer. The Fair Credit Reporting Act Investigators will use identifiers from the credit report, as well as any public record information, to confirm previously provided information or to develop new leads in the screening process. Information regarding payment history and indebtedness may be utilized by the prospective employer when an applicant's financial management skills are under consideration, when an organization is considering loaning money or is co-signing on loans as a financial enticement. The employment credit report can provide an objective, comprehensive overview of an applicant's personal and professional management skills, making a review of the credit report an important consideration in the recruitment process. Experienced investigators will confirm that this is not always the case, noting that all references should be contacted and interviewed.
Investigators can also develop additional references when requested or warranted.
In the course of interviewing references or when using reference forms, the recruiter or investigator should be well informed regarding federal and state laws which dictate the nature and scope of questions that may be asked regarding an employment candidate. Ask too little and risk litigation. Civil and Criminal Record Search Investigators routinely obtain a civil and criminal records search on employment candidates. Records are stored at a variety of governmental levels, including municipal, district, circuit, county, state and federal courts. The scope of the search done is largely governed by the position requirements and the level of employment sought.