The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act covers background screeners, but it has not been aggressively enforced.

The law says that screeners must use “reasonable procedures” to ensure “maximum possible accuracy.” It also requires employers to give a copy of background reports to rejected applicants. An applicant can dispute the information in the report, but the Federal Trade Commission has said employers must wait only five business days before hiring someone else, meaning that objections frequently become pointless. Form a team with four or five students and develop an approach to use the federal regulations to protect employees’ employment information in a way that more vigorously protects employees’ rights. Keep in mind that the background-

checking industry may have a financial interest in maintaining lax enforcement standards of the Fair Credit Report Act to allow it to have maximum flexibility to pursue its own interests. Be prepared to share your recommendation with other class members when called upon by the instructor.