The Amazon Background Check and What You Should Know

Amazon is one of the largest private employers in the entire United States of America. The company keeps growing, with more than a million workers across all 50 states. It undertakes new hiring drives frequently. For many, an Amazon job is a promising opportunity. It may even be the start of a career. There’s just one question many have before sending in their job applications. Is there an Amazon background check you’ll have to pass?

The answer is yes. Amazon’s policies require all candidates with conditional job offers to complete some tasks. These include submitting to a criminal record search, reference check, and drug test. The company’s checks can be broad because Amazon is a global organization that hires people from many places. That might worry potential applicants about whether they’ll pass.

Amazon uses pre-employment background checks to protect its business, employees, and the public. What are some critical elements to understand about this background check policy? Here are the facts you should know.

Do you have to go through a background check to work at Amazon?

Yes. You are unlikely to encounter job roles that do not include criminal background searches. For fairness and consistency, Amazon applies these policies to all prospective employees. You must consent to a background check if you wish to work for the company. Of course, you always have the opportunity to refuse the process, but doing so likely means your disqualification as a candidate.

Amazon must follow federal, state, and local laws in all pre-employment screening. It includes any local ban the box laws that delay when background checks may take place.

What job roles might require a background check?

Because Amazon adheres to fair hiring practices, you can likely expect a background check regardless of job role. However, some positions may have more rigorous checks than others. Extra screening is often for drivers and other transportation jobs regulated by the DOT. Amazon may choose to consider more than criminal records. What are some examples of jobs with the company where you will need to undergo screening?

• Warehouse workers.
• Truck drivers.
• Delivery drivers, including in the Amazon Flex contractor program.
• Software engineers.
• Customer support agents.
• Accountants.
• Management and executives.

Remember, Amazon has a very diverse business. It is no longer solely focused on e-commerce. You might work in a warehouse or seek a corporate job. You must pass the check regardless of your role in the company.

Does Amazon handle its own background checks?

Generally, no. Amazon uses a third-party provider for its criminal background searches. The company contracts with other providers to obtain and report on background information. In the event of an adverse action event, Amazon must disclose who’s conducting background checks on their behalf. You will receive the info necessary to contact that provider if you need to dispute any information.

How far back does an Amazon background check go?

An Amazon background check looks back to different periods based on your location. However, it is necessary to know that criminal records may appear in background checks for employment indefinitely. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) does not prohibit reporting convictions. The FCRA’s seven-year “lookback period” only applies to civil suits, judgments, arrests, and liens. Amazon may see criminal convictions in your report in some areas regardless of when the infraction occurred.

Some states extend the lookback period restriction to criminal convictions. In such states, Amazon may only consider the last seven years of your record. The limit is ten years in some jurisdictions. Review the law in your area for further details.

What type of background check does Amazon use?

When you provide consent to Amazon’s background check, what’s next? The company provides your information to their screening partner. This info includes your name and date of birth. Their partner then prepares reports for Amazon’s hiring managers using various tools. You should anticipate the following elements:

• A thorough criminal background check. The exact sources Amazon’s partners consult may vary, including county court records or state record checks. They may also use a proprietary database of records compiled from nationwide.
• Education verification. Amazon may want to verify that you have the educational credentials you claim.
• Employment verification. Amazon may contact employers you’ve worked for in the past to confirm the information you provided.
• Driving record check or an MVR report. Amazon uses these resources when hiring for regulated transportation jobs.

Will Amazon order your credit report? It’s unlikely—many companies no longer use credit checks as a standard part of the hiring process. Though some online users say they’ve experienced a credit check, many confuse consumer reports with credit checks. Today, the phrase consumer report in the FCRA disclosure most often refers to background checks. However, you may experience a credit check if you apply for positions that demand financial responsibility.

Is there a drug test to work at Amazon?

Yes, you must pass a drug test to work at Amazon.

Like many employers, Amazon wants to foster a drug-free workplace. The company typically requires drug tests after providing a conditional offer to candidates. Some candidates may go through the process sooner in areas where the company doesn’t use conditional offers. Applicants must undergo an oral drug test via a mouth swab. This test checks for many commonly abused substances. Such drugs include cocaine, methamphetamines, and opiates.

Amazon no longer disqualifies candidates who test positive for marijuana or THC. THC is only a disqualifier for workers applying for DOT-regulated jobs, such as delivery or truck drivers. Otherwise, applicants don’t need to worry about cannabis usage preventing them from obtaining a job.

Consider ordering a home drug test to see if you are prepared for Amazon.com’s drug screening check. The results can help you understand your next steps.

How long will the vetting process take?

Criminal background checks may vary in how much time they take. Amazon uses third-party screening providers to handle a high volume of applicants. However, applicants in some states may face delays out of Amazon’s hands. For example, a state record repository may have a backlog of requests to complete. Your records request might get stuck in such a queue. An Amazon background check might take only a few days or a week or more—there is no surefire way to know.

Amazon does say that the company makes a hiring decision within a few business days of receiving results. If the company wishes to disqualify an applicant, they must first send a pre-adverse action notice. Amazon abides by all the notification requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Does Amazon hire rehabilitated felons?

Yes, Amazon can and does hire felons. Federal law and guidance say criminal records should not be an automatic barrier to employment. Amazon and its screening partners assess each applicant individually. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) encourages this type of approach. This assessment may consider the time since a conviction and the severity of the crime. Hiring managers will also likely consider an applicant’s rehabilitation efforts when making decisions.

Consider this scenario. Someone has a felony conviction that occurred 10 to 15 years ago. The conviction was non-violent. The applicant completed their sentence and had no further trouble with the law. They may even be an active member of their community. In these cases, the felony conviction may not be a disqualifying factor. Individual circumstances are critical. Amazon does not exclude felons from applying or working for the company.

How to know if you failed the Amazon background check

Per the FCRA, all employers must notify applicants if a background check alters a hiring decision. You will know if you did not pass the check if you receive a pre-adverse action notice. Applicants can appeal if they believe the decision is an error. Applicants may also provide additional information for employer consideration. A final adverse action notice signals the end of the consideration process.

Preparing for your background check from Amazon

Going through a screening check for a job can be a stressful process. How can you make it simpler? If you plan to apply at Amazon, you have some options. You might consider ordering your own background check report to prepare for one of these checks. You can use our National Criminal Background Check service to do so. This broad overview will give you a good idea about what employers might see. Getting started is simple.

First, create an account. Once you’ve registered with backgroundchecks.com, you can order self-checks on yourself. Consider using county or state background checks to understand what Amazon may see when they look at your history. If there are red flags that shouldn’t be there, self-screening will help you identify them beforehand. You can then contact a criminal background check service for help correcting your report.

An Amazon background check is thorough, but the company does not discriminate against those with records. Rehabilitated felons can and do get jobs with Amazon today. Start your journey towards new employment opportunities by exploring your background with our help today.