Nearly all private employers use private companies to perform background checks. These companies are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), meaning that they must follow certain guidelines.

If you or a client have applied for a job and been denied because of an error on a private-company background check, you can dispute the error under FCRA. This folder includes links to the largest background check companies, and to their correction forms.

Even if a correction form is available online, it is advisable to send the company a dispute letter in hard copy and to retain a record for yourself and/or your client. You can find a sample letter, and guidelines for its use, below.