As an HR professional or business owner in Idaho, finding the right employees is important for building your company’s reputation and success.
Pre-employment background checks are the most effective way to identify qualified and reliable candidates.
At iprospectcheck, we conduct comprehensive, accurate, and compliant Idaho background checks for businesses across the state.
This guide will help you understand the background screening process and its requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Idaho background checks investigate a candidate’s criminal history, employment, education, professional license, driving records, and other relevant details.
- Employers must comply with federal and state laws when they complete background checks in Idaho.
- Common searches employers request include criminal history, employment verification, education verification, professional license verification, credit history, motor vehicle records, and identity verification.
- Best practices include creating a policy, training hiring managers, complying with notice and consent rules, partnering with a reliable provider, timing checks wisely, tailoring searches to the job, reviewing results carefully, individually assessing convictions, and completing the adverse action steps when necessary.
What is an Idaho Background Check?
An Idaho background check researches a job applicant’s personal history by reviewing information about their criminal record, employment, education, professional license, driving records, and other relevant details.
Employers conduct background checks to confirm the claims an applicant has made on their resume, ensure they have the qualifications and experience needed for the job, evaluate their suitability and fit, and verify they’re safe before making a hiring decision.
What Appears on an Idaho Background Check?
Idaho employers most commonly request information about the criminal history, past employment, education, and credentials of their applicants. Based on the nature of the job, an employer might also ask for information about an applicant’s credit and driving records.
Criminal History
For applicants with a criminal record, employers might see the following information on an Idaho pre-employment background check:
- Charge(s)
- Filing date
- Date of disposition
- Whether the offense was a misdemeanor or felony
- The disposition of the case
- Some sentencing information
Employment Verification
Employment verification shows the following details about an applicant’s current and former employment:
- Employer names and addresses
- Employment dates
- Job titles and duties
Education Verification
Education verification reveals the following information about an applicant’s educational achievement:
- School names and addresses
- Enrollment dates
- Any degrees or diplomas conferred
Professional License Verification
If you’re hiring for a credentialed position, professional license verification discloses the following information:
- License validity
- License type
- License number
- Issuance date
- Expiration date
- Public discipline/sanctions
Motor Vehicle Records Check
For jobs that require driving, a motor vehicle records check shows the following:
- License number
- Licensee’s full legal name
- Date of birth
- Physical descriptors/photograph
- License number
- License class
- Issuance date
- Expiration date
- Suspensions or revocations
- Traffic violations
- Major traffic crimes
Credit History Check
A credit history check reveals the following information about an applicant’s credit:
- Available credit
- Collection accounts
- Debt to income ratio
- Any bankruptcies
- Payment history
- Employer names and addresses
- Indicators of financial distress/fraud
- Other credit inquiries
Identity Verification
Identity verification is an initial search CRAs complete to confirm the candidate’s identity and ensure the records belong to them and not to a person with a similar name.
It also helps employers identify other jurisdictions that should be searched for information.
How to Get an Employment Background Check in Idaho
1. Develop a Thorough Background Check Policy
Create a thorough background check policy that includes information about the relevant laws and steps HR must take to maintain compliance.
Explain the types of searches your company performs for different position levels, and make sure all background checks for applicants at the same level are uniform.
2. Train Hiring Managers
Train those who will be responsible for performing background checks about the applicable laws and the steps to take before, during, and after a background check.
3. Adhere to Notice and Consent Requirements
Disclose that your company completes background checks on a separate form.
Obtain your applicant’s written consent before requesting searches.
4. Choose the Right Background Check Provider
Choosing the right background check provider is critical.
When you partner with iprospectcheck, you can be confident that your reports are accurate, up-to-date, and FCRA-compliant.
We deliver fast turn-around times and reliable reports to help you make better hiring decisions.
5. Select Relevant Searches
Choose searches that are relevant to the position.
Tailored background checks help you avoid wasting money on unnecessary reports.
6. Time Checks Wisely
It’s best to wait until the later stages of the hiring process to perform background checks.
Waiting until later saves your company time and money.
If you have or plan to seek federal contracts, wait until after you make a conditional job offer.
7. Carefully Review Results
When you receive your reports, review the information carefully and assess the applicant’s qualifications, fit, and safety.
Contact them to schedule onboarding if you decide to hire.
If you have some concerns, complete the remaining steps.
8. Assess Convictions Individually
Don’t treat a conviction as an automatic disqualifier.
Instead, assess convictions individually concerning the position’s duties before you decide not to hire the applicant based on that information.
9. Go Through the Adverse Action Process
If you decide against hiring an applicant because of information you learn in a background check, complete the adverse action process:
- Send a pre-adverse action letter to the applicant. Include a copy of the report with the negative information highlighted.
- Give a reasonable time to respond (typically five business days). The applicant can provide evidence that the information is wrong or that they have been rehabilitated.
- Send a final adverse action letter if you make a final decision not to hire. Include a copy of the applicant’s FCRA rights.
Important Laws and Regulations
As an employer in Idaho, you are expected to comply with all state, local, and federal laws that apply to pre-employment background checks. Changes to the laws frequently occur when new legislation is passed or when courts issue decisions.
Federal Laws on Employment Background Checks
Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is the leading consumer privacy law and protects the information that consumer reporting agencies (CRAs), including background check providers, collect, retain, and disseminate to employers and other third parties.
Under this law, CRAs can’t report the following information when it’s older than seven years for jobs with annual salaries of less than $75,000:
- Paid tax liens
- Chapter 13 bankruptcies (10 years- Chapter 7)
- Arrests that didn’t lead to convictions
- Debt collection accounts
- Civil lawsuits and judgments
The FCRA’s seven-year rule doesn’t affect the reporting of convictions older than seven years or other relevant information about an applicant’s employment, education, professional license, etc.
Employers must also comply with the FCRA when they partner with background check providers.
Before requesting a background check, you must notify applicants that your company performs them. This notice must be in writing and on a separate form.
You must also secure your candidate’s written consent before a CRA will initiate the process.
When you receive your reports, you must take specific steps if you decide not to hire an applicant because of information you learned in their background check. The FCRA requires you to complete the adverse action process before you make a final decision.
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a major federal anti-discrimination law that prohibits workplace discrimination based on an applicant’s or employee’s national origin, sex, race, color, or religion.
Amendments to this law have added other protected statuses, including disability, pregnancy, genetic information, age, and citizenship status.
This law is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which has issued enforcement guidance to employers about how to handle criminal record information appearing on background checks.
If an applicant has a criminal record, you must assess the conviction in terms of the job’s duties and workplace safety before you decide against hiring the candidate because of that information.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (FCA) is a ban-the-box law that applies to federal contractors and agencies.
If your company has federal contracts or plans to seek them, you must comply with the FCA.
Under this law, federal contractors can’t inquire about criminal history information until they have extended conditional employment offers.
If you ask about a candidate’s criminal history or perform a criminal background check earlier, federal agencies are prohibited from contracting with your company.
State Laws
Fingerprint-based Background Checks Mandated for Certain Licenses
In April 2024, the Idaho Legislature passed HB 490, which was subsequently signed into law by the governor.
This law will streamline criminal background checks and require applicants for licensure in the following professions to submit fingerprints as a part of the screening process:
- Nurses
- Wholesale drug distributors
- Physicians
- Physician assistants
- Real estate brokers
- Audiologists
- Speech-language pathologists
- Licensed professional counselors (LPCs)
- Licensed clinical professional counselors (LCPCs)
- Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs)
- Real estate appraisers
- Naturopathic medical doctors
- Driving instructors
- Licensed tradespeople
Obtaining Criminal Records
Under Idaho Code § 67-3008, employers are required to obtain their applicants’ or employees’ written consent to request criminal history information from municipal, county, and state government agencies.
This law is similar to the FCRA’s notice and consent rules.
Idaho Fair Employment Practices Act
The Idaho Fair Employment Practices Act is the state’s anti-discrimination law and is enforced by the Idaho Human Rights Commission (IHRC).
This law prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees based on their national origin, race, color, religion, sex, or disability.
The IHRC states that employers should consider the severity, recency, and number of convictions an applicant has before disqualifying them for employment.
It also discourages employers from inquiring about criminal history when it doesn’t relate to the job for which an applicant is being considered.
Know Before You Hire
Get a Background Check with iprospectcheck
Completing background checks should be something that you do routinely during the hiring process. Ensuring that the results you receive comply with all relevant laws is likewise important.
At iprospectcheck, our professional staff and resources allow us to secure the important data you need.
Our staff members undergo thorough training and understand what is required when conducting comprehensive background checks and compiling reports for our clients.
Let us help you make informed hiring decisions.
Call 888-509-1979 to request a free, no-risk consultation with one of our screening specialists or fill out the form here.
DISCLAIMER: The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult your counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.
FAQ
How Long Does a Background Check Take in Idaho?
The length of time that getting a background check will take will depend on the method that you use. Obtaining a name-based background check from the Bureau of Criminal Identification may take some time for processing since the agency processes requests in the order that they are received.
If you try to comb through court records, the process can be very time-consuming. Finally, working with iprospectcheck can allow you to receive your results quickly.
Depending on the information that you need, reports are generally completed in 24 to 48 hours.
How Much Does a Background Check Cost in Idaho?
If you order a background check through the Idaho State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification, a name-based search will cost $20.
However, this type of background check will not provide you with the various types of background information that your company might need. Through an online search, you might find disreputable vendors that promise free background checks. These types of reports may not be legally compliant and may include inaccurate information.
Conducting background checks internally by checking county court and municipal records is also not a good approach. This method requires a large number of labor hours and is not cost-effective.
Partnering with a reliable background check provider like iprospectcheck is the most affordable way to complete pre-employment background checks in Idaho. The methods that we use are cutting-edge and allow us to provide up-to-date, reliable results for our clients.
The cost of a background report will vary with the complexity of the scope of work requested. You can view our background check packages for pricing information.
How Far Back Do Background Checks Go in Idaho?
Idaho pre-employment background checks must comply with the FCRA’s rules for the length of time that adverse information can be reported for employment purposes.
The reporting restrictions of the FCRA do not apply to salaried positions that are offered at $75,000 or higher. In general, criminal history information on background checks will go back seven years.
Working with a reliable background screening company like iprospectcheck can help you to avoid relying on information that is prohibited. However, information about an applicant’s credentials, education, and employment history are not subject to the restrictions of the FCRA. This means that you can rely on these types of information regardless of their age.
