5000 Pre-Employment Screening

Policy Sections

5000.1 Implementation of Pre-Employment Screening

5000.2 Truthfulness in Representations Related to Employment Applications and Pre-Employment Screening

5000.3 Fair Chance Hiring Assessment

5000.4 Failure to Meet Policy and Recourse for Candidate Disputes

5000.5 Access to Pre-Employment Screening Information

This policy covers the pre-employment screening requirements and processes for all Covered Individuals (as defined in Definitions, below).

Yale conducts pre-employment screening in a consistent, equitable, and non-discriminatory manner.  Yale reserves the right to make the final hiring decision for all Covered Individuals under this policy.  A record of criminal or motor vehicle conviction does not preclude employment.  Pre-employment screening must be implemented in accordance with this policy and Procedure 5000 PR.01 Pre-Employment Screening Procedures.

This policy exists to ensure that pre-employment screening is conducted in a consistent, equitable, and non-discriminatory manner in service of Yale’s commitment to hire the best and most appropriate candidate for an opportunity while also considering the safety and security of the Yale community and safeguarding the University’s assets and resources.

Covered Individuals

(1) Candidates for employment who have accepted a conditional offer of employment in any of the following positions: full, part-time or temporary staff positions, postgraduate fellow and postgraduate associate positions, and postdoctoral fellow and postdoctoral associate positions; (2) Individuals who have agreed to serve in volunteer positions for the University; and (3) student employment positions that require access to the University’s museums, galleries, and special collections, or the operation of a motor vehicle.

Pre-Employment Screening Process

A formal screening process administered after the Covered Individual has received and accepted a conditional offer of employment or invitation to serve as a volunteer but prior to the Covered Individual’s commencement of employment or volunteer service.  Yale’s Pre-Employment Screening Process includes a Background Check.  Depending on the requirements of the position, the Pre-Employment Screening Process could also include a credit check, motor vehicle record check, Department of Transportation medical check, and/or drug testing.

Background Check

Part of the pre-employment screening process and intended to confirm the Covered Individual’s representations regarding their education, credentials, and qualifications.  A Background Check generally consists of a social security number trace, state/local and federal criminal, employment, and education verification, and sex offender registry search.

Fair Chance Hiring

Yale’s approach to hiring as reflected in its practice not to ask about arrests or convictions on applications; to inquire about criminal convictions only after extending a conditional offer of employment; and to conduct an individualized, multi-factor assessment of a candidate’s criminal conviction when determining its relevance to employment.

Third-Party Vendor

The vendor identified by Yale for use in the Pre-Employment Screening Process.  This vendor performs the Background Check and other pre-screening verifications.

Unscored Credit Check

A check, with their consent, of a Covered Individual’s financial and borrowing history when positions involve the handling of money, access to financial records, or access to the University’s museums, galleries, or special collections.  The Covered Individual’s credit score is not included in the report.

A. Post-Offer Implementation

Yale requires Covered Individuals to complete the Pre-Employment Screening Process.  This process is initiated only after a conditional offer of employment has been made and accepted by the candidate. 

B. New or Update Pre-Employment Screening for Current Staff

A new or updated pre-employment screening, including Background Check, generally is not required for candidates currently employed at Yale who are transitioning to a different position unless the job responsibilities, access, or work location associated with the new position prompts a motor vehicle or Unscored Credit Check as part of a supplemental Background Check or other medical or drug testing requirements. 

Such requirements would be disclosed in any position posting and conveyed at the time of application.

C. Applicability to Academic Trainees

All candidates for postdoctoral/postgraduate fellow and associate positions who have lived or worked in the United States and have a United States Social Security number are required to complete a Background Check.  If a current postdoctoral/postgraduate is moving to another job category at Yale and the individual has not had a Background Check, they are required to complete one.

All postdoctoral and postgraduate fellows and associates who have never lived or worked in the United States must complete a federal background check to obtain a work visa.  The federal background check is sufficient to meet Yale’s requirements. 

Current Yale graduate students moving to a postdoctoral assignment are not required to complete a Background Check.  Depending on the assignment, however, an Unscored Credit Check or motor vehicle record check may be required.

D. Pre-Employment Screening Following a Break in Service

Candidates who are not current Yale employees but have been employed by Yale previously are subject to the Pre-Employment Screening Process if they have had a break in service for more than six months.

E. Pre-Employment Screening as a Condition to Commencing Work

A candidate who has received a conditional offer of employment cannot commence work until the Pre-Employment Screening Process has been completed unless an exception is approved by the Chief Human Resources Officer or their designee.

Candidates are required to accurately represent information provided in résumés and any materials associated with the application process, inclusive of pre-employment screening and Background Check documents.  Candidates who materially misrepresent information on their résumé or other application materials are ineligible for hire.   Yale employees may be subject to termination if it is determined at a later date that they have materially misrepresented information in the employment application process.

A Covered Individual’s record of criminal or motor vehicle conviction does not preclude employment or volunteer service.  Following a conditional offer, if the Background Check results in information that requires further review, the candidate’s application is referred to Yale’s Pre-Employment Review Committee for further assessment.  In its assessment, the Pre-Employment Review Committee considers the following factors: 

• Nature and number of convictions;
• Relevance of the offense(s) to the job and duties, including the security and safety of staff, students, and visitors;
• Continuity of employment before and after conviction;
• Activities that evidence self-development and commitment to the community;
• Time that has passed between the offense and conviction or release; and
• Circumstances of the convictions, including the candidate’s age at the time of conviction.

If a candidate is determined to not meet the standards set forth in this policy as a result of the Pre-Employment Screening Process, the conditional offer of employment will be rescinded.  In these circumstances, the Third-Party Vendor mails the candidate the report outlining the results of the Background Check and preemploymentscreening@yale.edu sends an email to the candidate explaining the decision.

The candidate has an opportunity to dispute these findings within seven days.  The hiring department must keep the position open for the seven-day dispute filing period or until the dispute has been resolved, whichever is greater.

The Third-Party Vendor processes disputes related to inaccurately verified information.  They send the candidate an Adverse Action Letter that outlines the results of the Background Check and provides instructions for how to dispute these findings if they are incorrect.  Additional inquiries may be sent to customerservice@hireright.com or directed to the customer service line at 866-521-6995.

The Pre-Employment Review Committee evaluates disputes as set forth in this policy.

Talent Acquisition serves as the office of record for Background Check results and maintains strict confidentiality.

A limited number of specifically assigned Yale staff in Yale’s Talent Acquisition team have access to Pre-Employment Screening Process results and may evaluate this information.  The Pre-Employment Review Committee has access to Background Check results when further review is required.

Hiring managers do not have access to Pre-Employment Screening Process or Background Check results.  Departments are only informed if the candidate meets or does not meet the standards as set forth in this policy and no further details are shared.

Exceptions to this policy require approval by the Vice President, Human Resources, or their designee, in consultation with other offices, as appropriate.

Covered Individuals

• Responsible for completing the Pre-Employment Screening Process, in accordance with the provisions of this policy and Procedure 5000 PR.01 Pre-Employment Screening Procedures.

Pre-Employment Review Committee

• The University committee comprised of representatives from the Office of General Counsel, Risk Management, Human Resources, and Public Safety that reviews information generated during a Background Check that requires further consideration, as escalated by the Pre-Employment Screening Team.

Pre-Employment Screening Team

• The team comprised of Talent Acquisition team members responsible for the administration and review of Pre-Employment Screening Processes and results.
• Responsible for the escalation of matters to the Pre-Employment Review Committee.

Third-Party Vendor

• Responsible for performing the Background Check and other pre-screening verifications.

Talent Acquisition

• Responsible for recruiting and hiring, including the Pre-Employment Screening Process.
• Responsible for the implementation and oversight of this policy.
• Serves as the office of record for Background Check results and maintains strict confidentiality over pre-employment screening information.

Vice President, Human Resources (or designee)

• Responsible for the subject matter of this policy.
• Reviews and rules on requests for exceptions to this policy.