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Ohio Background Check Laws

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Ohio Employment Screening Laws

Employee Background Checks and Drug Screening Trends White Paper

Employers that are either located in Ohio or hiring Ohio residents must abide by the Federal FCRA, and applicable Ohio state employment laws.

This page was created to provide a simple explanation of what an end-user of a background screening report (also known as consumer report) can use in order to be in compliance with Ohio state laws. This page also contains steps an end-user must take to stay in compliance with Ohio state laws.

Please keep in mind that the EEOC must always be taken into consideration when a hiring decision is to be made. The EEOC has provided guidance on how employers can use criminal records during the hiring process. This regulation was issued on April 25, 2012. The EEOC requires employers to individually review each applicant or employee that may be disqualified due to a criminal record. This also follows the regulations set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Additionally, the EEOC wants to undertake an adverse action process similar to that of the FCRA. They want to add a pre-adverse action process of their own. Although employers already have an adverse action process that is specific to information contained in consumer reports, the EEOC's adverse action process may be different.

The information that is provided on this page does not discuss requirements under the EEOC nor does it explain how to use criminal records that fall under the regulation of the EEOC. It is suggested that compliance with the EEOC be discussed with legal counsel.

For more detailed information on Ohio state laws, please consult your legal counsel.

Employment Background Check Laws In Ohio:

Ohio Revised Code 2953.33: Rights and privileges restored; answering questions.

Info Cubic Ninja's summary

An employer making a hiring decision may only use convictions that have a direct and substantial relationship to the position sought. Additionally, an applicant may not be questioned about sealed records.

(A)  Except as provided in division (G) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code, an order to seal the record of a person’s conviction restores the person who is the subject of the order to all rights and privileges not otherwise restored by termination of the sentence or community control sanction or by final release on parole or post-release control.

(B)  In any application for employment, license, or other right or privilege, any appearance as a witness, or any other inquiry, except as provided in division (E) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code, a person may be questioned only with respect to convictions not sealed, bail forfeitures not expunged under section 2953.42 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to June 29, 1988, and bail forfeitures not sealed, unless the question bears a direct and substantial relationship to the position for which the person is being considered.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA):

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a set of federal guidelines that helps regulate hiring practices. The FCRA was created to ensure privacy, accuracy, and fairness of consumer information. The FCRA accomplishes this by having a set standard for collecting, disseminating, and using consumer information.

Employers obtaining consumer reports for background screening purposes must follow specific procedures. For example, employers must disclose to the candidate what the background screening is, what information it includes, and how they intend to use it. They must obtain the written consent of the candidate before obtaining a background screening. They may not misuse the information contained in the background screening. There are also strict procedures an employer must follow should they decide not to hire a potential candidate based on the information in the background screening.

The purpose of the FCRA is to help protect employers, employees, and potential job candidates.

Disclaimer

This material is time sensitive. Contact us for updates. This information is subject to frequent change through legislative and court action.

All materials in this page and accompanying information are for general educational purposes and not intended to provide legal, scientific or medical advice. Consult with an appropriate professional to address specific issues.

State of Ohio Administrative Police HR-29: Disclosure of Criminal Convictions During the Application Process.

Public employers hiring for the State of Ohio may not have questions about criminal history on the initial application for state employment.

A copy of this State of Ohio Administrative Policy can be found at- http://das.ohio.gov/Portals/0/DASDivisions/DirectorsOffice/pdf/policies/humanresources/HR-29.pdf


Disclaimer

This material is time sensitive. Contact us for updates. This information is subject to frequent change through legislative and court action.

All materials in this page and accompanying information are for general educational purposes and not intended to provide legal, scientific or medical advice. Consult with an appropriate professional to address specific issues.

Court Fees:

County: Court Fee: County: Court Fee: County: Court Fee:
Adams $0.00 Allen $0.00 Ashland $0.00
Ashtabula $0.00 Athens $0.00 Auglaize $0.00
Belmont $0.00 Brown $0.00 Butler $0.00
Carroll $0.00 Champaign $0.00 Clark $0.00
Clermont $0.00 Clinton $0.00 Columbiana $0.00
Coshocton $0.00 Crawford $0.00 Cuyahoga $0.00
Darke $0.00 Defiance $0.00 Delaware $0.00
Erie $0.00 Fairfield $0.00 Fayette $0.00
Franklin $0.00 Fulton $0.00 Gallia $0.00
Geauga $0.00 Greene $0.00 Guernsey $0.00
Hamilton $0.00 Hancock $0.00 Hardin $0.00
Harrison $0.00 Henry $0.00 Highland $0.00
Hocking $0.00 Holmes $0.00 Huron $0.00
Jackson $0.00 Jefferson $0.00 Knox $0.00
Lake $0.00 Lawrence $0.00 Licking $0.00
Logan $0.00 Lorain $0.00 Lucas $0.00
Madison $0.00 Mahoning $0.00 Marion $0.00
Medina $0.00 Meigs $0.00 Mercer $0.00
Miami $0.00 Monroe $0.00 Montgomery $0.00
Morgan $0.00 Morrow $0.00 Muskingum $0.00
Noble $0.00 Ottawa $0.00 Paulding $0.00
Perry $0.00 Pickaway $0.00 Pike $0.00
Portage $0.00 Preble $0.00 Putnam $0.00
Richland $0.00 Ross $0.00 Sandusky $0.00
Scioto $0.00 Seneca $0.00 Shelby $0.00
Stark $0.00 Summit $0.00 Trumbull $0.00
Tuscarawas $0.00 Union $0.00 Van Wert $0.00
Vinton $0.00 Warren $0.00 Washington $0.00
Wayne $0.00 Williams $0.00 Wood $0.00
Wyandot $0.00

Summary of Rights:

Ohio Consumers Have the Right to Obtain a Security Freeze

You may obtain a security freeze on your credit report to protect your privacy and ensure that credit is not granted in your name without your knowledge. You have a right to place a "security freeze" on your credit report pursuant to Ohio law. The security freeze will prohibit a consumer credit reporting agency from releasing any information in your credit report without your express authorization or approval. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. When you place a security freeze on your credit report, within five business days you will be provided a personal identification number or password to use if you choose to remove the security freeze on your credit report or to temporarily authorize the release of your credit report for a specific party or parties or for a specific period of time after the security freeze is in place. To provide that authorization, you must contact the consumer credit reporting agency and provide all of the following:

  1. Information generally considered sufficient to identify the consumer;
  2. The unique personal identification number or password provided by the consumer credit reporting agency;
  3. The proper information regarding the third party who is to receive the consumer credit report or the time period for which the credit report shall be available to users of the credit report.

A consumer credit reporting agency that receives a request from a consumer to temporarily lift a security freeze on a credit report shall comply with the request not later than fifteen minutes after receiving the request.

security freeze does not apply to circumstances in which you have an existing account relationship and a copy of your report is requested by your existing creditor or its agents or affiliates for certain types of account review, collection, fraud control, or similar activities.

If you are actively seeking credit, you should understand that the procedures involved in lifting a security freeze may slow your own applications for credit. You should plan ahead and lift a freeze, either completely if you are shopping around, or specifically for a certain creditor, a few days before actually applying for new credit.

Court Cases:

KEY COURT DECISIONS
Court Case Issue Outcome Employer Limitation/ Action

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