Asking yourself “will my being fired showed up on a background check?” The good news for you is that the answer is generally no. While getting fired does not go on your criminal background check, there are other ways a prospective employer can learn of a termination. It is important to remain truthful throughout the hiring process, as lying about your work history is usually more problematic than having a termination in your past. Read on below as we answer “Does Getting Fired Go on your record?
Can a Background Check Reveal Termination?
Typically, a background check will not reveal a termination of employment. Background checks provide a wealth of information to prospective employers and landlords, but they do not have access to private employment records. Because your termination will not appear in any public database, it is unlikely to appear in a standard employment background check.
What Information Do Background Checks Include?
It is difficult to pin down exactly what a background check might reveal, given that there are many different types of background checks. These checks pull public data from a variety of sources, and no two background checks are exactly alike. That said, there are some factors that are common across all employment background checks. These include:
- Identify Verification. Background checks will compare the personal identifying information you provide and compare it to what is available in public databases. This occurs in an effort to prove you are who you say you are.
- Criminal Records. Your criminal record is easily attainable, and you can count on prospect employers or landlords to request a copy. This record will not only show convictions but also arrests in most cases.
- Credit History. Many background checks include your credit history. This can reveal details about your life including bankruptcies or evictions.
- Driver’s History. While this is often combined with your criminal record, some background checks provide specific records related to your driving history.
Other Ways Employers Can Learn of a Termination
For some employers, a standard background check is the only real effort to uncover a prospective employee’s past. Other employers dig much deeper. This effort, known as a background investigation, goes beyond simply reading through the background check provided by a vender.
How brief or thorough this investigation is will depend on the employer. However, it is not unusual for the person interviewing you to contact previous employers or even confirm your current employment. While rare, an employer could go so far as to hire a private investigator to review your background. These investigations are far more likely to turn up a termination in your past.
The Importance of Full Disclosure
Ultimately, any interview is likely to touch on your employment history. If there is a gap in your employment, expect your prospective employer to ask about it. Likewise, expect general questions about prior termination or discipline at work.
While it might be tempting to fudge the truth, lying about your employment history could be more harmful to your pursuit of a new job than having a termination on your record. If you lie in your interview and your employer finds out after you have been hired, you could find yourself with a second termination on your hands.
Given the risks, it is important that you never lie about your employment history during an interview. The consequences of being found out likely outweigh the damage a prior termination could do to your chances. What’s more, if your new job includes an employment contract, you could find yourself in legal trouble if it turns out you entered into the agreement under false pretenses.
See Also: Turning Yourself In For A Misdemeanor Warrant
Verdict – Does Getting Fired Go On Your Record?
In the end, the “record” most people think of are background checks popular among employers and landlords. While this background check might reflect any criminal arrests, evictions, or civil judgments against you, terminations are generally private matters that remain within a company’s employment records. That doesn’t mean you have free reign to be less than truthful about your previous termination. Employers have other methods of investigating your background, and turning up a termination is possible. If your prospective employer catches you in a lie about a previous termination, the odds of getting the job will plummet dramatically.
