Checkr Background Check Status: What Does “Consider“, “Suspended“, and Other Statuses Mean?
When an employer initiates a background check, the process can feel like a black box for candidates. You might be left wondering, "what does my Checkr background check status mean?" Checkr is a leading provider of these services, and they use a variety of statuses to provide clarity on where a report is in its lifecycle.
Understanding these statuses can help you know what to expect and what to do next. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most common Checkr background check statuses, including the critical difference between "Clear" and "Consider."
The "In-Progress" Statuses
These statuses indicate that the background check is still in progress.
Invitation Sent: This is the initial status. It means an email invitation has been sent to the candidate to provide their personal information (such as their full name and Social Security Number) and consent. The background check has not yet begun.
Pending: A "Pending" status indicates the background check is in progress. This is the stage where Checkr is actively performing various searches requested by the employer, such as criminal history, employment verification, and motor vehicle records.
Suspended: A "Suspended" status means the report is on hold, often due to a lack of information or a typo in the data you provided. This could be an incorrect Social Security Number or a misspelled name. If your report is suspended, you will typically receive a request from Checkr to provide the correct information via the candidate portal. You must take action to resolve this issue for the check to continue.
The "Completed" Statuses
These statuses indicate that the background check has finished.
Clear: This is the best-case scenario. A "Clear" status means the report is complete and did not return any records that would make the candidate ineligible based on the employer's policies. In short, nothing was flagged that requires the employer to take a closer look.
Consider: This is perhaps the most significant status in a completed report. A "Consider" status means the background check is complete, but it contains information that the employer needs to review.
This is not a disqualification. A report is marked "Consider" if it finds a record that doesn't fall within the employer's pre-defined "Clear" criteria, such as a criminal conviction, a traffic violation on an MVR check, or a minor discrepancy in a resume. The employer is required to review this information and follow the proper legal process before making a final hiring decision.
Why is my Checkr background check taking so long?
The average Checkr background check takes 3-5 business days, but some can take longer. The most common reasons for delays include:
Court Delays: Many county courts still rely on manual, paper-based processes to retrieve criminal records, which can cause significant backlogs.
Insufficient Candidate Information: If there's a typo in your name, date of birth, or Social Security Number, the report will be suspended until you correct it.
Additional Verifications: Checks that include employment or education verification might take longer because Checkr has to contact third-party sources to confirm the details.
What does "Adverse Action" mean?
Adverse action is a critical legal process mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). An employer must initiate this two-step process if they plan to deny a job offer or take any negative action against a candidate due to information found on their background check.
This is designed to protect the candidate's rights. The first step involves sending a pre-adverse action notice, which includes a copy of the report and a summary of the candidate's rights. This gives them a crucial window of opportunity to review the findings and dispute any potential inaccuracies before a final hiring decision is made.
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