Background Checks

All new staff/part-time employees must have criminal history check and Sex and Violent Offender Registry check as a condition of employment with Indiana University. These are initiated by the hiring department after acceptance of an offer of employment has been received, and employment cannot begin until the check is complete, or a waiver has been granted.

See also:

Read the policy HR-02-10, Background Checks

Background Check Process Overview

Units must designate one or more IU employees as HireRight Background Check System Users. HireRight System Users have the following responsibilities:

  1. After an individual has accepted an offer of employment, a background check may be ordered. Users must log into the HireRight system and select the appropriate criminal background check package, job location, then enter the individual’s information to e-mail the background check forms to the applicant.
  2. Ensure that IU location, department, account number, position type, if it is a Programs Involving Children (PIC) position and if it is a five (5) year PIC check are correctly entered.
  3. Submit/e-mail the background check to the individual.
  4. Ensure that the individual has received, reviewed, and agreed to the University background check disclosure and consent forms.

    The new hire must complete the background check consent within 7 business days. If the Individual does not respond to the HireRight invite within 7 business days, the order will be automatically canceled. If the Individual will still be working for Indiana University, a new background check should be initiated.

    To complete the HireRight background check, the new employee will need:
    • Social Security Number (SSN) – If the employee does not have their SSN yet, they will select the box indicating they do not yet have a SSN.
    • Address history
    • Criminal history
  5. Confirm the grade of the criminal background check to verify employment and/or Programs Involving Children eligibility. The initiator of the background check order will receive an email from the HireRight system once the report has been completed.

Background Check Results

HireRight creates a criminal background check report. The average time that it will take HireRight to complete the report is 1 to 3 business days.

If the criminal background check reports do not result in any SSN validation issues, convictions, sex offender registry findings, or any other records the report will be assigned the “Meets Company Standards” grade.

If the criminal background check report does result in any SSN validation issues, convictions, sex offender registry findings, or any other records the reports will be assigned the “Client Review Required” grade. These background checks need to be adjudicated by the appropriate group. Staff and part-time hire background checks are adjudicated by IU HR. Academic hire background checks are adjudicated by the campus Academic Affairs office. IUHR or Academic Affairs works with the department during the adjudication process, and the initiator receives another e-mail with the final grade once it’s been adjudicated.

The following grades may appear on a background check report:

  • Meets Company Standards - Employment and PIC
    Hire approved.
  • Meets Company Standards - Employment Only
    Hire approved for employment only.
  • Meets Company Standards - PIC Only
    Hire approved for Programs Involving Children only.
  • Does Not Meet Company Standards
    Hire not approved after adjudication by IUHR or Academic Affairs in collaboration with the hiring department.
  • Client Review Required
    Pending adjudication by the applicable office. Someone from IUHR or Academic Affairs will contact the hiring department for more information.
  • Reviewed No Grade
    The report was not adjudicated typically due to an error made during the report ordering process. Also used for criminal checks when not severe enough to warrant Does Not Meet adjudication, commonly students.
  • Cancelled
    Individual never responded to the invite within 7 business days, and the order was canceled or the user requested the report be cancelled before a grade was assigned.
  • Pending Additional Information
    The report is in the process of being adjudicated, and additional information is required.

Waivers

In some cases, background check results may be delayed due to difficulties in obtaining county criminal records. In those cases, departments may submit a waiver request by emailing the IUHR Employee Relations Team at .

Program Involving Children (PIC)

Per IU policy, PS-01, Programs Involving Children, faculty and academic staff, staff, students, volunteers, or other personnel who will work with children must have a criminal background check which includes a Sex and Violent Offender Registry check every five years. When an employee who did not previously work with children moves into a PIC position, a background check must be completed if the prior check was more than one year ago.

Departments are responsible for monitoring their PIC employees and ensuring that background checks are run every 5 years, in compliance with IU Policy. To assist, IUHR has created a report of all employees with current PIC background checks.

Boost your background check skills at the training and support web page.