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The Global Insight

What do background check companies ask previous employers?

Author

James Olson

Updated on April 03, 2026

Employers can look into a number of facts about you, including your credit history, employment history, driving records, and criminal records. If an employer uses a third party to conduct a background check, The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ensures it’s lawful.

Do background checks check work history?

Your work history, identity, financial, and criminal status may be scrutinized as part of the process. Employers who conduct background checks want to confirm details about you and see if you present a risk to them.

Can employers see previous history?

EMPLOYERS CAN VERIFY YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: At the very least, this means that they’ll find out where you worked and for how long, and what your job title was at your former employer. Double-check dates and job titles before you submit your application.

What can mess up a background check?

There are plenty of reasons a person may not pass a background check, including criminal history, education discrepancies, poor credit history, damaged driving record, false employment history, and a failed drug test.

Can a background check reveal past employer’s past?

If candidates are lying about their past jobs—whether by embellishing job responsibilities, tweaking job titles to make them sound more impressive, or fabricating jobs entirely—how can employers make informed decisions about who to hire? They’re left to wonder whether a background check can reveal a candidate’s past employers.

What should I do before my next background check?

First of all – take a deep breath, it’s going to be OK. You can also do a little leg work before your next background check. Do you have copies of your W-2s, if not you can request a report from the IRS, call all your previous employers and ask for copies or even pay to conduct a background check on yourself.

Can a background check find out you were terminated from?

Depending on who an employer uses to conduct reviews of applicants then a termination might be found by checking with past employers or by using one of the several employment related data companies, e.g. The Work Number. Those provide employers a central reporting body that will contain objective information regarding your employment.

Do you need a criminal background check to get a job?

Most employers who conduct employment background checks rely heavily on criminal history when screening; however, that information alone rarely paints a complete picture of any job candidate. What may look like a red flag could actually be a red herring. So employers need to thoughtfully consider how a criminal past may actually affect job results.