Will a Background Check Tell You If a Job Applicant Is on Probation?

After being convicted of a crime, a defendant may be put on probation for a period of time. The terms of the probation may require that the person meet certain requirements, such as finding a job and checking in with a probation officer.

Employers want to know if a person they are considering for a job is on probation. They may be concerned that a person who committed a crime in the past may be unreliable, dishonest, or disruptive in the workplace. Some employers are willing to give a person on probation a chance, but most want to be able to make an informed decision.

Types of Probation

A person may be placed on one of several types of probation. Unsupervised probation means the person needs to stay out of further trouble, pay any applicable fines, and possibly attend counseling. Supervised probation requires a person to attend meetings with a probation officer or call often. A probation officer can declare the person in violation if all of the requirements are not met. Intensive probation may have additional requirements, such as a curfew. Pre-trial probation means that the charges will be dropped if the person stays out of trouble for a period of time.

Is a Job Applicant Required to Tell an Employer about Probation?

Depending on the laws of your state, a job applicant may or may not be required to disclose to an employer that he or she is on probation. However, if the person is required to attend frequent meetings with a probation officer during the day, the employer will need to know about the probation, regardless of whether state law requires the employee to disclose it or not.

DataCheck Can Help You Screen Job Applicants

If you are planning to hire a new employee, you will want to know if that person has a criminal record or is currently on probation. You can find out by conducting a thorough background check. It should check records in every state and county where the person has lived to get a complete picture of the candidate’s background.

DataCheck has helped many businesses conduct background checks on prospective employees. We can help you find out if someone has a criminal record or is on probation so you can make an informed hiring decision. Contact us today to learn more about our pre-employment background check services.