Are there class actions against HireRight?

Question

I lost a job offer because HireRight put someone else’s criminal record on my background check. A coworker told me she read something online about a HireRight class action lawsuit. Now I’m wondering whether there is an active HireRight class action lawsuit I can join, whether past HireRight class action claims tell me anything about how strong my own situation is, and whether a class action is even the right path for me. The offer I lost was real. I had a start date. I had already given notice at my current job. I need to know what happened and what I can do about it.

Consumer Attorneys · Accepted Answer

HireRight has a documented history of FCRA violations serious enough to attract both government enforcement and private class action litigation. The Federal Trade Commission charged HireRight with multiple FCRA violations and secured a $2.6 million civil penalty, the second largest the FTC had obtained under the Act at the time.

Separately, a nationwide class action, Ryals v. HireRight Solutions, Inc., resulted in a settlement of $28.375 million based on the company’s failure to provide proper notice to consumers and conduct meaningful reinvestigations of disputed information.

Another HireRight class action lawsuit, Watkins v. HireRight Inc. (Case No. 3:13cv1432, S.D. Cal.), alleged that the company “routinely and systematically” included outdated and dismissed charges in background reports without giving applicants a complete copy of what employers received.

These HireRight class action claims reflect a pattern of systemic reporting failures that affected large numbers of consumers. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a consumer reporting agency must use reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy. Reporting another person’s criminal record under your name, or refusing to correct a clear error after a dispute, can constitute a willful or negligent FCRA violation. If you believe a HireRight background check error has harmed you, an attorney can review the specifics of your situation and explain what options may be available to you.

Whether there is an open HireRight class action lawsuit you can join depends on the current status of active litigation and the specific nature of your situation, something we can look into with you. Class action eligibility is determined by the defined class in each case, and not every consumer with a HireRight error will qualify for a particular class. What matters most right now is understanding exactly what happened in your report and what harm it caused. Whether that leads to participation in a class action or an individual FCRA claim, the starting point is the same: a review of your report and the facts of your case. We handle both paths, and we will tell you honestly which one fits your situation after we hear from you.

If a HireRight report has cost you an opportunity, here is where to start:

Save the HireRight report, the employer’s adverse or pre-adverse action notice, and any communication about your start date or offer withdrawal.
Document the financial impact: the salary you would have earned, any income gap, and costs tied to giving notice at a prior job.
File a dispute in writing with HireRight and keep a copy of everything you submit.
Contact Consumer Attorneys before the FCRA statute of limitations runs; timing matters.

Consumer Attorneys handles FCRA background check cases on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for you. The FCRA also allows recovery of attorney’s fees from HireRight if your case succeeds, so legal representation costs you nothing out of pocket. If a HireRight background check error has affected your employment or income, contact us today for a free case evaluation.