Minnesota Supreme Court Sets the Record Straight on Municipal Employer Liability
A recent court decision has changed how Minnesota courts analyze whether municipalities may be liable for their hiring decisions—emphasizing that...
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Facts vs. Myths. MBI Monthly Myth Buster – December 2019
MYTH : TRUE OR FALSE
I can run a background check using the candidate’s nickname.
MYTH BUSTER : FALSE
It is a common misconception that criminal records are housed by a person’s social security number. The reality is criminal records are stored by name and date of birth. When criminal records are entered into the courts system, they will more than likely be entered in under the individuals legal name and date of birth.
What does this mean?
If your applicant’s legal name is Angela and you enter “Angie’ to be searched, the Department of Corrections record under Angela may not be found because Angie was requested. There are many safeguards in place to aid in preventing a mistake like this from happening (running a social security trace will reveal the legal name) but unfortunately things do slip through the cracks. It is up to you to make sure the information being entered is correct before the background is initiated.
*** Important Note – The same rules apply when entering the applicant’s date of birth and social security number. Always verify the information before running the background, transposing numbers can throw aentire background off. Accuracy is KEY!
Bethany Thompson, Compliance Manager
MBI Worldwide Background Checks
compliance@mbiworldwide.com
866-275-4624
DISCLAIMER – MIDWEST BACKGROUNDS, INC. DBA MBI WORLDWIDE CANNOT AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR COUNSEL. Although MBI strives to support you with alerts and resources regarding critical compliance matters, please understand that MBI Worldwide CANNOT provide legal advice regarding forms, contracts or compliance topics. Nothing in this article, website or any other communications with MBI Worldwide should be construed as legal advice. If you have legal questions, please consult with legal counsel, who can best advise you on the legalities of obtaining and using consumer reports.