Employment background checks are commonplace in millions of businesses across the country. However, FBI fingerprinting background checks aren’t as standard as you may think.
Most employers are restricted from the use of obtaining FBI criminal records for employment decision purposes. Generally, FBI criminal records are more commonly used by US governmental agencies for various purposes, including licensing, safety and security, professional associations, adoption, foreign immigration and registration, background investigations, and specialized employment.
As you’d expect, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the most diligent law enforcement agency in the United States and a highly reputable and reliable resource for in-depth criminal records research. An FBI rap sheet may include arrest and conviction records spanning an individual’s lifetime. Without proper knowledge, training, and familiarity with such information, an employer could easily be biased by an individual’s arrest history and prematurely dismiss them for an employment opportunity. Further, the sheer volume of arrests and convictions records on a rap sheet might inappropriately influence an employer from hiring a person compared to someone with a limited number of arrests and convictions, regardless of whether the arrests or convictions were recent or related to the job.
By comparison, a typical employment background would follow local and state laws and limit the number of misdemeanor convictions on the background check to the past seven (7) years, and in the case of Philadelphia “Ban-the-Box” laws, also limit felony convictions to the past seven (7) years.
The use of FBI criminal records for employment is more complicated and therefore limited for use to only select employers.
Jobs Requiring FBI Fingerprinting
Some jobs routinely require FBI fingerprinting as a part of an employment background check. For example, school teachers are required to endure this process because they work with children.
Along the same lines, individuals working in senior care facilities may also have to undergo fingerprinting because they deal with vulnerable individuals. In both cases, these organizations must absolutely avoid dealing with sex offenders and individuals who might engage in elder abuse.
Similarly, members of law enforcement and those aspiring to work in high-level positions in government or financial institutions may also be required to undergo FBI fingerprinting.
FBI Fingerprinting Can Prevent Fraud
Many people are familiar with Medicaid fraud schemes. For example, individuals working for the government could potentially defraud older people out of thousands of dollars. To prevent this, Medicaid also requires their employees to submit to FBI fingerprinting.
FBI fingerprinting can also be required in specific industries where crimes committed by employees are a possibility. So, if a role will be involved in sensitive matters in an employer’s business, they would require an FBI background to be conducted as a precaution.
The FBI keeps extensive records and criminal profiles that are useful as an extra measure for sensitive roles and purposes. Below, you’ll find industries and government associations most likely to require fingerprinting, as well as some other areas of work where fingerprinting might be necessary.
Industries
- Financial Service Companies – (banks, brokerage companies, and companies in the insurance mortgage industry)
- Immigration
- Education/Teaching/Child Care/Eldercare
- Home and Healthcare/Nursing Homes/Medical
- Gaming Industry
- Hospitality
- Regulated Marijuana
- Alcohol and Tobacco
- Court and Legal Affairs
- Adoption/Child Custody
- Security Companies
- Public and Private Transportation
- Airline Industry
Government Agencies and Associations
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Board of Education
- SLA- New Jersey Liquor Authority
- Government Jobs, including security clearance
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- New Jersey Stock Exchange (NYSE)
- National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD)
- American Stock Exchange (AMEX)
- Police Clearance
- NASD
- National futures Association (NFA)
Other Employment Categories
- Volunteers
- Coaching Jobs
- Board of Directors
Conclusion
Thankfully, FBI fingerprinting for certain employers can help avoid hiring people who can cause workplace chaos. By performing due diligence in hiring the right people for your open positions, you can keep your employees safe and significantly reduce liability.
If you are working in an industry required to undergo an FBI background check, you should consider partnering with a company that offers professionally conducted FBI fingerprinting services. Would you like to learn more about how we can help you and your business?
Want to Learn More?
If you would like to learn more about our fingerprinting and employment background check services, please call us at 267-419-1390, click here, or send an inquiry to: info@firstcontacthr.com.