Two weeks notice before or after background check

Hello all,
Do you wait to give your two weeks notice until after the background check is complete? Even if it pushes out the start date? I am considering it even though I am 99.99% sure it will come back fine i.e. no criminal record, have good credit etc...

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Comments

Mooseboost

If you are confident, I would do it. I have always waited until I had an official start date and not a pending one. I am however, a cautious man.

cyberguypr

I suggest giving notice one EVERYTHING has cleared with the new employer. Had a friend who had a spot clean record but there was some sort of delay in clearing his background check and he was stuck with no job for almost 3 weeks. Better safe than sorry.

networker050184

I never give my notice until I'm 100% for the new job.

nelson8403

I agree, wait until you get a start date and then give your two weeks.

markulous

I've done it before, but that was when I was making crap wages 10+ years ago and had no bills so even if I was down a weeks pay it wouldn't affect me whatsoever.

MrAgent

Concur with others, make sure you have a firm start date before putting in your notice. Remember... Murphy's law.

N2IT

Agreed with most. If you have a solid gig wait man. They can pull it back at anytime, if you get the thumbs up then do it then. If they are a decent company they will understand.

Mitechniq

I have had a DOD clearance for 14 years, so I didn't think anything of it when my company did a normal background check on me. The company they used to do the background check, showed I had done jail time in South Carolina, apparently they did a check with just my name and birth-date. I had to prove to the company by getting further documentation from the county clerk that it wasn't me. It took another week to start my new job, so waiting is probably your best bet....

jeremywatts2005

I always wait to have the background cleared and an exact start date. Background checks can be tricky. I have had to even leave a job or two without a two week notice. This was because I was needed to start the new job or lose it. I have lived in a few states and have an extensive educational and work history. So there is a lot to check and it takes sometimes up to a month or more to get me through. A lot of rural areas are hard to get in touch with and smaller companies.

scaredoftests

Wait to give notice until the job is in the bag. My 2 cents..

Zartanasaurus

networker050184 wrote: »

I never give my notice until I'm 100% for the new job.

This is why I give my 2 weeks notice 2 weeks after I've started with the new employer.

the_Grinch

I agree with the others, wait till you know your definite start date. A guy who works with my agency left for a job at the FAA via a contractor. Gave his two weeks and then they said oh you'll need to wait another three weeks. Turns out they didn't end up funding the position and he had to wait a year to get back with my agency. So good credit and a clean background doesn't mean something else couldn't go wrong.

JoJoCal19

WAIT. One of my friends was waiting on his background check to clear before getting his start date (he didn't have a job at the time so a bit different situation than yours) but something showed up on his background check that wasn't true. It took several MONTHS for him to get it cleared up. Thankfully the company still hired him but the fact that it took months to get cleared up would not be good if he was in your position.

brewboy

Wow! There are some VERY scary stories here.

I have reached out to the new employer and they have already agreed to change the start date to accommodate the time it takes to complete the background check. Phew!

Thanks everyone!

TheFORCE

Mooseboost wrote: »

If you are confident, I would do it. I have always waited until I had an official start date and not a pending one. I am however, a cautious man.

What he said. I always complete all the necessary background checks and have an offer with a start date 100% before submitting a 2 week notice.

GGrill

I got all you beat...I had a background check done for my current job and the background checking agency (which I will not name) came back with results that I was a sex offender in California. I never stepped foot in California let alone even having a criminal background..So I had to submit information proving who I was. Apparently whoever in California has the same first/last name and race so they just slapped together the report for my company.

I'd wait for sure if I were you

joelsfood

Some of you guys need to change your name to something less common. Maybe I. M. Noh Criminal

GreaterNinja

You should only give two weeks notice if you receive an offer letter in writing OR if you have at least $10k saved with zero debts and a good reason to quit.

I once interviewed for a government Computer Scientist position. I had a background check and was told by HR that the offer letter would be coming. Guess what...hiring freeze and the offer letter never came.

kurosaki00

networker050184 wrote: »

I never give my notice until I'm 100% for the new job.

^This.
Once you signed the official letter, everything checked out, you got your start date. Then you give your 2 weeks.

apr911

Mitechniq wrote: »

I have had a DOD clearance for 14 years, so I didn't think anything of it when my company did a normal background check on me. The company they used to do the background check, showed I had done jail time in South Carolina, apparently they did a check with just my name and birth-date. I had to prove to the company by getting further documentation from the county clerk that it wasn't me. It took another week to start my new job, so waiting is probably your best bet....

This right here... There are plenty of news stories of people losing jobs that they are currently in due to "routine" background checks that turn up something that isn't theirs. These are people who are well established in their positions too, not "new hires."

It has gotten better as many states have started passing legislation to regulate the way background companies add/delete/update data and how often but for a long time it was quite a mess (and still is in some places/cases). Background check companies are required to FCRA but in most cases, it only pertains to disputes and you wont know to dispute something until they indicate there is an issue which is likely already too late for the job.

I've never had an issue with my background check when it comes to my job however, it did almost cost me an apartment a few years back. The background company pulled a record for someone with a similar name, birthday and state of residence and the apartment company no longer wanted to rent to me. Thankfully, the state in question had an easy online way of pulling criminal records and I was able to show them it wasn't me. It cost me $20 to get the record, $10 to show I had no record and $10 for the record the background company matched so I could show it wasnt me but in the end I was able to rent the apartment. It then took me 4 months and several letters before the background company finally removed the record.

Best part about all of it? The record they did find was for a charge that was dismissed and a charge that was still pending... Granted it wasn't a finding of not guilty but I still felt for the guy who had the arrest... Despite the state deciding not to pursue the charge and dismissing it in one case and the other case still being unsettled, it still flagged him as a criminal in background checks. So much for being innocent until proven guilty

hurricane1091

Old thread - new reply. I was given a start date of 4/17 but have NOT gone through the background check or drug test yet - but will need to. I do not foresee any issues, but this seems like an odd situation. Thoughts?

TheFORCE

Until the background check and drug test complete that start date is just an estimate. Don't give your notice till they clear. I wemt through the same thing 3 weeks ago.

hurricane1091

TheFORCE wrote: »

Until the background check and drug test complete that start date is just an estimate. Don't give your notice till they clear. I wemt through the same thing 3 weeks ago.

What is weird is I talked to the CIO on Saturday, and he "wanted to see me start on the 17th" which seems impossible if I were to wait for everything to clear. Strange situation if you ask me.

Verities

It doesn't matter if the CIO promises you the world, do not give notice until every single check has been cleared! You do not want to end up without a job should something happen with the background check and drug test.

sillymcnasty

Wait. Mine was fine but they couldn't find a W2 from a place I worked out 6 years ago.

yoba222

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Old thread - new reply. I was given a start date of 4/17 but have NOT gone through the background check or drug test yet - but will need to. I do not foresee any issues, but this seems like an odd situation. Thoughts?

It only takes like a week or two in my experience. Doesn't seem odd to me.

hurricane1091

Excellent points, and I told them we need to wait. New boss thinks it is not necessary but is OK with it. Whatever - I get it. Their guy is quitting and they need someone in there ASAP, but I am waiting.

I said it was odd because I did not take these tests yet. Even if I do it tomorrow and it clears by Friday, 2 weeks from then would be 4/21 and not 4/17

tmtex

I have seen it and it almost has happened to me, yes you are hired we will get you and offer letter, start in 2 weeks. You give your notice and all of a sudden "oh sorry this position was approved yet to fill, we will get back to you" . My last company was very bad as in John would quit/2 weeks notice and it would take 2 months for the "approval" to rehire

TheFORCE

Last time i had to do this, drug test took 1-2 days for the results to come in but background check took more than 1 week. To speed the process the new company HR people asked me to give them contact info of old company HR people. I did just that, they called them, 2 days later they tell me ok now you can give your notice.
Be proactive and follow up with them and ask if the process is stuck somewhere and maybe you can help.