Background Check?

[Ketsuban 1,034]

I work for a small family-owned business and the wife used to be a PI

Apparently when they take on new hires she does all her PI stuff on them including checking their public social media pages. Hopefully she didn't follow us around with a camera!

It took a week for them to get back to me. Not sure what background checks they did but I guess they didn't find anything nefarious.

[russandraquel 86]

This is a big stumbling block for us. She has made it to background check for 3 interviews now, but still no calls for employment. I hope she is not showing up as "ineligible for work." She has her EAD and green card is in transit by USPS. She has been disappointed in the job finding process, and I am starting to feel a bit uneasy myself.

[TabeaK 517]

If a "negative" background check keeps you from getting a job you have a right to know *WHAT* is in the background check. I would enquire. What field is she in? Seems strange anyone would spent money on a background check without a job offer in hand...

International background checks, however, can be a pain. Mine took a couple of weeks to complete, as the third party tried to reach out to the European institutions/my former employer. Owing to the much stricter privacy laws back home - and the fact that background checks beyond criminal and credit are frowned upon there - they basically couldn't get any info. My former employer essentially told them to shove it as it is illegal to share information about current/former employees. In the end, I provided a couple of additional documents to the background check agency and had a word with the HR of my now employer and it all got straightened out. Bottom line: This is another thing us new immigrants have to be more diligent about - so make sure you get your background check file.

[russandraquel 86]

We got an email from one of them that told us the social security number came back as non existent. They had the correct number, and we verified by comparing it to the physical card in our hands. We then sent them a picture of the physical card along with green card. Three different jobs have told us that they were doing background checks, and this was the only contact we have had with any of them.

We did go to social security and they did verify that her number is valid and that they would update her name after up to TWELVE weeks. It is incredibly frustrating to know that something is broken, but we only get a tiny amount of vague feedback. We live in Texas where it seems that employers are not forced to disclose anything about the background check.

[russandraquel 86]

Just hoping that someone will read this that had similar experiences with a bright spot in the story. I have spent hours upon hours on hold with social security, in the office, researching, trying to self e-verify...no real help. My wife is legal to work, but it seems that businesses are so careful in the hiring process, they don't care that she has a green card in hand. We aren't talking about office jobs, just retail seasonal jobs. This is incredibly frustrating.

[Marrienne 112]

Which country does she come from?

My check took 5 days after all was said and done.

They photocopied my GC and that was that.

I work at a grocery chain.

[russandraquel 86]

Philippines

[Marrienne 112]

Are you sure it is the background check?

Like 100% sure this is the one thing holding her back?

[russandraquel 86]

Almost certain. The first company had us submit a background check authorization online. A few days later, the store manager called personally and said "we need you to submit your background check authorization so you can come to work. We will e-mail you another link."

We submitted that one too and called him back to confirm. He said that they would get back to us after it was complete. (This was for a seasonal job weeks ago, and probably it is too late now)

Another company sent her an email saying that the social security number had an error. We needed to submit the information again so they could make sure. We did, then a few days later we followed up. They vaguely said there was still a problem. By now, the seasonal hiring push is finished.

The third company said "we will hire you after the background check." We didn't have any further communication, and by now, the seasonal hiring push is over.

The fact that all three of these events happened surrounding the background check makes me almost certain that there is an issue with the background check.

Edited December 6, 2016 by russandraquel

[Avia 7]

I have applied for a Nurse aide position in an Assisted living facility in Dallas, I finished the interview and the interviewer told me that he will pass my details to the HR and they will do some background check and get back to me later.Does this mean that I got the job already (incase i pass the back ground check) or is this like a routine thing they do with all the other candidates? I was little nervous to ask him directly if i got the job or not. Now i am wondering if i should wait for them to contact me or continue looking in other places.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Avia

[TBoneTX 45,229]

See answer in your stand-alone thread.

[russandraquel 86]

Finally got hired. Until you receive a corrected social security card in hand, I strongly recommend that you apply for jobs IN YOUR MAIDEN NAME. You might put your maiden name in the place where they ask for it, but they won't necessarily check it. Conversely, if your social security number was ever in your maiden name, it will always return something when checked with the maiden name even if it is in your new name in the social security data.