Background Checking

I took a community course with the Sheriff's department for fun and they did a basic background check: they probably run you through the State and national data banks to see if you've ever been convicted of anything, your driving record, and hospitals require your SSN for payroll and they probably need it to get the above data.

The hospital might be checking any and all of the things you mentioned. They do that to be sure that you are not lying about your background and qualifications. One of the references that you listed can not be counted to provide all that information as they might be a friend or someone who doesn't have accurate information about you. The employer also wants to know if you have had a troubles with the law or whether there is anything else in your background that might indicate that you are unreliable and/or untrustworthy. For obvious reasons, they are reluctant to hire people who have a track recor of having made poor decisions throughout their lives, broken laws, etc.

While some people object to these background checks and consider them an invasion of their privacy, employers have a right to use them in their hiring process with your permission. You can choose not to consent to the background check, but that will cause the employer to think you have something that you are trying to hide -- and/or make them feel less secure in hiring you. You can choose to say "NO" and they can choose not to hire you. Both parties (you and the employer) are free to say "No."

Good luck.