According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a disclosure and release form must be signed by the applicant authorizing the investigation before a background check can be conducted for employment purposes. The employer must keep the original copy of the release disclosure for a period of five years.* It is important to note that the release must still be retained for all applicants regardless if the applicant was or was not hired by the company.

According to the FCRA the release form must be a separate document. It cannot be part of the application. A copy of this disclosure should be given to the applicant if requested. Included with the release form, a copy of the Summary of Rights Under the FCRA must be provided to the applicant.
*Validity suggests retaining the signed release for at least six years.

Please click here to view Validity's sample release.

If you have any questions regarding releases, please contact Customer Care at 866.256.0624 or customercare@validityscreening.com.