What Is Included in a Background Check? Background reports can range from a verification of an applicant's Social Security number to a detailed account of the potential employee's history and acquaintances. There is even some evidence that employers are now searching popular social networking Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook for the profiles of applicants. An October 2007 survey from Vault.com found that 44% of employers use social networking sites to obtain information about job applicants while 39% have searched such sites for information about current employees. Read about "digital dirt" and the job seeking process at www.abilitiesenhanced.com/digital-dirt.pdf. Here are some of the pieces of information that might be included in a background check. Note that many of these sources are public records created by government agencies. Driving records Vehicle registration Credit records Criminal records Social Security no. Education records Court records Workers' compensation Bankruptcy Character references Neighbor interviews Medical records Property ownership Military records State licensing records Drug test records Past employers Personal references Incarceration records Sex offender lists Information to be included in a background check will almost certainly depend to some extent on the employer and the job involved. For many jobs, a state or federal law requires the employer to conduct a background check. Jobs that involve work with children, the elderly or people with disabilities are examples of jobs that will almost certainly require a criminal background check. In addition to information gathered from documents or databases, employers may also gather information on job applications or employee questionnaires. Concerns about the highly personal nature of some questions can lead to lawsuits. One such case reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In this case, the Court said personal information required of contract workers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was “reasonable” given the government’s interest in screening employees.