The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that governs how companies order and consider information contained in consumer reports, including background or credit checks. The FCRA promotes accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information, providing candidates with rights such as consent before a background check, access to their report, and the ability to dispute errors. Employers must provide written disclosure of intent to conduct a background check, obtain authorization from candidates, review results, and offer opportunities for correction. The FCRA also impacts background checks by requiring employers to consider EEOC guidelines and follow state or local Ban the Box laws when evaluating arrest and conviction records. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination based on various protected classes, recommending a "nature-time-nature" test to assess individualized assessments of criminal history. Employers can simplify compliance with Checkr's platform, which provides tools for managing regional regulations and FCRA-trained support to mitigate risk while fostering equitable recruitment practices.