What Is Background Check?

What Is a Background Check?

A background check is a pre-employment screening process used to verify a candidate's identity, work history, criminal record, and other relevant information before bringing them on board. For businesses hiring hourly workers — especially in roles involving customer interaction, sensitive environments, or safety-critical tasks — background checks are a standard part of responsible hiring.

What a Background Check Typically Includes

• Criminal history — Federal, state, and county criminal record searches.
• Identity verification — Confirming the candidate is who they say they are, often through SSN trace.
• Employment history — Verifying past employers, roles, and dates of employment.
• Motor vehicle records — For roles involving driving (delivery, transportation, logistics).
• Drug screening — Required in some industries and jurisdictions.
• Education verification — Confirming degrees or certifications when relevant.
• Professional license checks — Verifying active licenses for regulated roles (forklift operation, food handling, nursing, etc.).

Why Background Checks Matter

Background checks protect your business, your team, and your customers. They help you make informed hiring decisions and reduce risk — from workplace safety incidents to liability exposure. In certain industries (healthcare, childcare, transportation), background checks aren't optional — they're legally required.

They also build trust. Workers who pass a background check signal reliability, and businesses that run them signal professionalism. It's a quality marker for both sides.

Background Check Compliance

Running background checks comes with legal requirements:

• FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) — Federal law requires written consent from the candidate, proper adverse action procedures if you deny employment based on findings, and use of a compliant screening provider.
• Ban-the-box laws — Many states and cities prohibit asking about criminal history on the initial application. You can still screen — just later in the process.
• EEOC guidance — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission advises against blanket policies that automatically disqualify candidates with criminal records. Consider the nature of the offense, how long ago it occurred, and its relevance to the role.
• State-specific rules — Requirements vary significantly by state. Some limit how far back criminal searches can go. Others restrict the use of credit checks for employment.

Background Checks for Flex and Temporary Workers

When using on-demand or flex workers, background checks become especially important because these workers often enter your environment with less lead time than traditional hires. Working with a platform that pre-screens its workers saves you time and reduces risk.

How GigSmart Handles Background Checks

GigSmart integrates background screening into the worker onboarding process. Workers on the platform can complete background checks through the app, and businesses can filter for workers who've been screened. It's one less thing to manage when you're filling shifts through G-Flex — the vetting is already built in.