Does background screening invade privacy?
Section 604 of the FCRA is designed to protect consumers’ privacy interest in the files of credit bureaus and other consumer reporting agencies by limiting access to that data to parties who have one of them enumerated ‘‘permissible purposes’’ for the information. Employers may request and review information about an applicant only for employment purposes. This may include reviewing court records for criminal convictions, calling former employers or verifying education records. As such, employers are reviewing information that is a valid and non-discriminatory predictor of future job performance.
