Ask the employer, which must give you a copy before taking adverse action, and request your file from the screening company. Under the FCRA, the screening company must disclose your file, and it is free if you ask within 60 days of an adverse action notice.
There are two ways to see what a background screening company said about you, and it can help to use both.
1. From the employer
If an employer plans to reject you, fire you, or take other adverse action based even partly on a background check, § 1681b(b)(3) requires it to give you a copy of the report and a summary of your FCRA rights first. If you were turned down and never received the report, ask the employer for it in writing.
2. From the screening company
Section 1681g requires a consumer reporting agency, on request and with proper identification, to clearly and accurately disclose all information in your file and the sources of that information. It must also identify who received a report about you, and for employment purposes that look-back covers the two years before your request.
Cost:
- Free after adverse action. Under § 1681j(b), the file disclosure is free if you request it within 60 days after receiving an adverse action notice. That notice must name the screening company and its contact information (§ 1681m).
- Free annual disclosure from some companies. Nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies, which include companies that compile employment history on a nationwide basis, must provide a free disclosure once every 12 months on request (§ 1681j(a)).
- Otherwise, the company may charge a fee capped by the statute.
Tips
- Request your file in writing or through the company’s online portal, and keep a copy of the request.
- Compare the employer’s copy with the file you receive. Differences can be important.
- Check every entry: identity details, criminal records, case outcomes, education, and past employment.
If you find errors, you can dispute them with the screening company under § 1681i. If an inaccurate report cost you a job, a free case review can help you weigh your options, with no fee unless we win.
Related
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681g (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681j (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681b (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681m (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.