What does Dollar General look for in a background check?
Dollar General does not publish what its background check covers, how far back it looks, or which records disqualify an applicant. What is on the public record: Dollar General’s privacy notices say it shares applicant information with service providers that perform background checks, and a federal lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, settled in 2019, centered on Dollar General’s criminal background check for job applicants.
Here is what each public source says.
Dollar General’s own privacy notices
- Its general privacy policy lists “background checks and other employment-related services” among the services that outside providers perform for it.
- Its California privacy notice for applicants says it shares applicant information, including identifiers, Social Security numbers, education and employment history, with service providers and contractors that provide services such as recruiting, talent acquisition and background checks.
The EEOC case
The EEOC sued Dollar General’s operating company, Dolgencorp LLC, in federal court in Chicago (EEOC v. Dolgencorp LLC d/b/a Dollar General, No. 13 C 4307, N.D. Ill.). The EEOC alleged that the company’s criminal background check screened out Black applicants at a significantly higher rate than white applicants, in violation of Title VII. In November 2019 the case was resolved by a three-year consent decree, under which Dollar General agreed to:
- Pay $6 million into a fund for Black applicants who lost job opportunities between 2004 and 2019
- Hire a criminology consultant to develop a new criminal background check, if it uses one
- Update its process so rejected applicants are clearly told they may submit information supporting reconsideration
- Report to the EEOC and not discourage applicants with criminal records from applying
The decree had a three-year term from 2019. We have not found a public statement from Dollar General describing its current criminal screening criteria.
What Dollar General does not publish
- The records it checks (criminal, employment, driving, drug test)
- How far back it looks
- Its screening company
- Its turnaround time
Who runs the Dollar General background check?
Dollar General does not name its screening company on its public pages. Vendor names on third-party sites are not from Dollar General.
You can find out:
- Your disclosure and authorization form usually names the company.
- A pre-adverse or adverse action notice must give the screening company’s name, address and phone number, under 15 U.S.C. § 1681m.
We have guides for several large employment screening companies, including First Advantage, Sterling, HireRight, Accurate Background and Asurint. Use the one that matches the name on your paperwork.
How long does the Dollar General background check take?
Dollar General does not publish a time frame, and figures you see online are not from Dollar General.
What usually drives the timing:
- County courts that have to be searched by a person, not a database
- A common name, which can trigger extra review to sort out other people’s records
- Missing or mismatched information on your application
- Past employers who are slow to confirm dates
If you have heard nothing, ask the store or district manager which screening company has your file, then call that company with your details.
What do you sign before the Dollar General background check?
Before an employer can get a background report on you from a screening company, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2) requires:
- A clear and conspicuous written disclosure, in a document that consists solely of the disclosure, that a report may be obtained for employment purposes
- Your written authorization
If you apply on a tablet or phone, take a screenshot of these screens. Our guide on whether someone can run a background check without your permission explains the consent rules in more detail.
What if your Dollar General background check is wrong?
Before the decision: your pre-adverse action rights
If Dollar General plans to reject you, pull an offer or let you go based in whole or in part on a background report, § 1681b(b)(3) requires it to give you, before it acts:
- A copy of the report
- A written summary of your rights under the FCRA
The FTC says giving the notice in advance lets you review the report. The statute does not set a specific number of days, so respond quickly:
- Read every page of the report
- List each error: a case that belongs to someone else, a dismissed or reduced charge reported as a felony conviction, a sealed or expunged record, a duplicated case
- Write to the contact on the notice and say you are disputing the report
- Include proof: a certified court disposition, an expungement order, or identification showing a different birth date from the person in the record
If the information is accurate, the EEOC and FTC suggest being ready to explain it and why it should not affect your ability to do the job.
Dispute with the screening company
The company that made the report has to correct it. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, once it receives your dispute it must:
- Reinvestigate free of charge
- Finish within 30 days, or up to 15 more days if you send new relevant information during that period
- Delete or correct anything inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable
- Send you written results within five business days after finishing
Ask it to send a corrected report to Dollar General. Our background check dispute letter guide shows what to include.
After the decision
If Dollar General goes ahead, its adverse action notice must name the screening company, say the company did not make the decision, and explain your right to a free copy within 60 days and your right to dispute, under § 1681m.
What cannot appear on a Dollar General background check?
Federal law limits what screening companies may report. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c:
- Arrest records more than seven years old generally cannot be reported
- Other negative information more than seven years old generally cannot be reported, except criminal convictions, which have no federal time limit
- These limits do not apply to a job paying $75,000 a year or more
For criminal and other public records reported for employment, § 1681k requires the screening company either to notify you when it reports them or to keep strict procedures so they are complete and up to date. State and local laws may add more limits.
When can a Dollar General background check error lead to an FCRA claim?
Against the screening company
- Inaccurate reporting, if it did not follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy under § 1681e(b). Name-only matches that attach someone else’s record to you are a common example.
- A failed reinvestigation under § 1681i, such as verifying an error you documented or missing the deadline.
- Obsolete records reported in violation of § 1681c.
Against the employer
- Taking adverse action without the required pre-adverse notice and copy of the report, under § 1681b(b)(3)
- Getting a report without a proper stand-alone disclosure and your written authorization, under § 1681b(b)(2)
The FCRA protects accuracy and notice. The EEOC case shows a different issue: whether an employer’s use of criminal records is lawful under anti-discrimination law. Those are separate questions, and a lawyer can tell you which applies to you.
What you may recover. For negligent violations, actual damages such as lost wages and emotional distress, plus attorney’s fees and costs, under § 1681o. For willful violations, actual or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, possible punitive damages, and attorney’s fees, under § 1681n.
Deadline. Under § 1681p, generally two years after you discover the violation and no later than five years after it occurred.
Keep your authorization screenshots, notices, the report, and your dispute and its outcome. For help spotting errors, see what to do if your background check is incorrect.
Get a free case review
If a Dollar General job was denied or pulled because of a background check that got your record wrong, or you never saw the report before the decision, talk to a background check error lawyer. Our case review is free, and we work on contingency: no fee unless we win.
Frequently asked questions
What does Dollar General look for in a background check?
Dollar General does not publish what its background check covers. Its privacy notices say it shares applicant information with service providers that perform background checks. In a lawsuit settled in 2019, the EEOC challenged Dollar General's criminal background check, so criminal history has been part of its screening.
Who does Dollar General use for background checks?
Dollar General does not name its screening company on its public pages. The company that prepared your report must be named in any pre-adverse or adverse action notice you receive.
How long does the Dollar General background check take?
Dollar General does not publish a time frame. Ask the hiring manager which screening company has your check, and contact that company if it seems stuck.
What was the EEOC case against Dollar General about?
The EEOC alleged that Dollar General's criminal background check screened out Black applicants at a significantly higher rate than white applicants. Under a three-year consent decree entered in 2019, Dollar General agreed to pay $6 million and, if it used a criminal background check, to hire a criminology consultant to develop a new one.
Can I sue over a wrong Dollar General background check?
Possibly. A screening company can be liable for inaccurate reporting or a poor reinvestigation, and an employer can be liable for skipping the required notices. The FCRA deadline is generally two years from discovery and five years from the violation.
Sources
- Dollar General, Privacy Policy
- Dollar General, California Privacy Notice for Applicants
- EEOC, Dollar General to Pay $6 Million to Settle EEOC Class Race Discrimination Suit (Nov. 18, 2019)
- FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Employers Need to Know
- EEOC and FTC, Background Checks: What Job Applicants and Employees Should Know
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681b, employment rules (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, information that cannot be reported (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681e, accuracy procedures (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, disputes (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681k, public records for employment (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681m, adverse action notices (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681n, willful violations (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681o, negligent violations (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681p, time limit to sue (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.