Federal Statutes Authorizing Criminal Background Checks

There are approximately 15 federal laws that permit criminal background checks for civil (i.e., employment and licensing) purposes. Fingerprinting, either through electronic "live scans" or paper and ink "hard cards," is required for all federal criminal background checks conducted for employment and licensing purposes.

Three of these laws permit nursing facilities to seek criminal background checks on employees and job applicants. Two of the three laws, as amended, authorize nursing facilities to seek FBI criminal background information regardless of whether the state where the facility is located has enacted its own law to permit access to state criminal background records. The third law authorizes nursing facilities to seek federal criminal background checks if the state where the facility is located has enacted a law to authorize access to state criminal background information.

Current procedures under all three federal laws require nursing facilities to channel requests for FBI criminal background information through a designated state agency. (A list of State Agency Contacts is attached.) Summaries of each law’s major provisions, advantages and limitations follow.