The demand and need for employee background checks and security checks is greater nowadays than ever, especially after the aftermath of 9-11 mixed with the progressive problem of violence occurring at the place of work. In order to run employee background checks on new job applicants and existing employees, including positions where security may not have previously been given much consideration in the "pre 9-11" era, employers make appeal to investigative companies. Therefore, for many non-defense related "high-tech" positions, including computer programming, security clearance is required by most employers. The Federal and the State law demand for employee background checks for certain occupations such as jobs that include interactions with children, law enforcement, defense contractors, and especially on any Federal employment.

Regarding the employee background checks, employers may check on criminal records even on the spouse of a job applicant as well. Even if the applicant has a squeaky clean record, if the spouse has a criminal record, he might not be hired. The traditional ways of employee background checks were regarding only the applicant or employee. But, for security clearance, the spouse and any other family members as well are investigated, this being valid not only for top secret job positions within the US Military, or defense contractors, but for many "high-tech" civilian jobs such as programming as well. So, practically, the employability of someone can rely on whom the person is married with. Also, any chances of getting a security clearance can be automatically eliminated if discharging dishonorable from the US Military.

Civil lawsuits, judgments older than 7 years, paid tax liens and collections paid after 7 years, bankruptcies older than 10 years, all of these can be reported in an employee background check. This information is provided by private agencies and public records, for it is prohibited for the employers to require applicants to provide copies of their criminal records. But criminal histories or "rap sheets" are not public record in every state, being available in states such as California to certain employers where employee background checks are required by State or Federal law such as: public utilities, child care services, law enforcement, security companies, and defense contractors.

Part of the employee background check is the credit background check, because many employers consider a person's credit habits a good judge of character. Employers are required to obtain the employee's or applicant's written consent under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, FCRA (15 U.S.C. §1681). Although employers cannot fire a current employee for filing bankruptcy, they can reject a job applicant based on this criterion. So, practically, employers are allowed not to hire somebody based on their credit report. That's why a copy of the report must be provided to the employee, or applicant, so they may have to option to challenge it. There are two different kinds of credit checks. A standard credit bureau, in order to reveal a person's credit worthiness, credit habits or credit capacity, can be obtained from any one of the 3 credit bureaus, Equifax, Experion, or Transunion. The other kind of credit check is represented by an investigative consumer report which delves into a person's character, mode of living or reputation, being usually acquired by contacting associates, even neighbors or friends of the applicant to inquire as to their character.

Because of the increase of the security-conscious nowadays, employers run employee background checks as a responsibility for the welfare and safety of their employees, company reputation, and liability.

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