Why Would a Background Check for a Job Be Denied?
Most common reasons a background check gets denied
Here are the issues employers most frequently rely on when they deny an applicant:
1. Criminal record findings
Employers may deny someone if the report shows certain charges or convictions, especially recent, serious, or job-related offenses. But many denials happen because the record is inaccurate, belongs to someone else, or shows the wrong status (ex: dismissed case shown as “pending”).
2. Inaccurate or incomplete information
This is more common than people realize. Examples include:
Case listed under the wrong person (mixed file)
Wrong dates or wrong charge level
Expunged/sealed cases still appearing
Old records resurfacing
Duplicate entries
These types of errors can absolutely lead to wrongful denial.
3. Employment or education verification issues
If a past employer doesn’t respond, refuses verification, or gives incomplete data, the background check company may mark the section as “unverified,” and some employers treat this as a red flag.
4. Identity issues or mismatched personal information
Name variations, hyphenated last names, middle initials, and past addresses can cause misidentifications—especially if you share a name and birthdate with someone else. This is a leading cause of false denials.
5. Motor vehicle and license issues
For driving jobs or gig-app platforms, any license suspension, mismatch, or old violation can trigger denial—sometimes even after the issue is already resolved.
6. Company-specific hiring policies
Some companies automatically deny applicants for certain offenses or timeframes, even when the record is technically accurate.
However, they still must give you a pre-adverse action notice before making a final decision.
What you should do after a denial
If your background check results in a denial, you should receive:
A copy of the background check
A chance to dispute inaccurate background check information
Review the report closely. If anything looks incorrect, misleading, outdated, or doesn’t belong to you, you have the right to dispute it with the screening company. If the mistake has already cost you a job, you may also have an FCRA claim.
How We Can Help
If your job background check was denied because of false, outdated, or misleading information, we can help you identify the error, dispute the incorrect entry, and pursue compensation if the denial caused financial harm under the FCRA.