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Best Practice Standards: The Proper Use of Criminal Records in Hiring

“Hiring new employees is a critically important function in any business, government agency, or non-profit organization. Every hiring decision represents a major investment that employers must make with limited information. Checking criminal history is just a small part of this process, which may also include verifying education, prior employment and other reference information. The Best Practice Standards will help employers properly weigh adverse personal history to find those applicants who will contribute most to the productivity of the organization.” Sections following an executive summary include: best practices: purpose; overview; as part of preparing the job announcement, develop a Relevance Screen for Criminal History; selecting a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA)-ensuring reliable information and a clear report format; “Ban the Box”-do not ask applicants to disclose criminal record history in application; the interview; criminal history records check; the final hiring decision; always follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA); general human resource policies to create a positive environment; “Best Practice for Individualized Assessment of Rehabilitation; and “20 Best Practice Standards: On the Use of Criminal Background Checks in Hiring Decisions”.