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Background Checks

Understanding Background Checks

UCLA is committed to providing a safe and secure environment to students, patients, employees, affiliates, and visitors; to protect University assets, to make prudent employment decisions, and to be a place of integrity.  In order to fulfill its commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks on individuals in critical positions. 

An offer of employment, oral or written, must be contingent upon completion of a satisfactory pre- employment background check. The background check process should be initiated only after a conditional offer of employment has been extended to the candidate.  

UCLA has approved vendors who specialize in facilitating background checks include LiveScan – fingerprinting and Universal Background Screening (UBS)

Critical Positions 

Positions that are considered critical require a background check. Job functions with the potential to incur human, financial or property loss or other harm to the University and its constituents is considered a critical position. A position must contain at least one of the elements listed in this section to be considered a critical position. 

  1. Master key access to residences and other facilities;
  2. Direct responsibility for the care, safety, and security of humans or animals; or the safety and security of personal and University property;
  3. Direct access to or responsibility for cash and cash equivalents (as defined by Business & Finance Bulletin, BUS-49) or University property disbursements or receipt;
  4. Direct access to or responsibility for controlled substances or hazardous materials;
  5. Extensive authority for committing the financial resources of the University;
  6. Responsibility for operating commercial vehicles, machinery, or toxic systems that could result in accidental death, injury, or health problems;
  7. A requirement for a professional license, certificate, or degree, the absence of which would expose the University to legal liability and/or adverse public reaction;
  8. Direct access to and/or responsibility for information affecting national security;
  9. Direct access to and/or responsibility for protected, personal, or other sensitive data. 

UCLA Guide to Critical Functions and Background Checks  

Candidate Background Checks Information:   

The University conducts background checks that use different methods to obtain information about a candidate’s personal and employment data.  

  • Confirmation of a person's identity
  • Review of conviction records
  • Verification of any educational degree, license, or certificate required for the position
  • Review of Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records
  • Government security clearance
  • Drug testing as required by law
  • Credit background check (depending upon the nature of the position).

Live Scan is a criminal background check the University uses as part of their interview and new hire process. The UCLA Police Department Records Unit provides Live Scan/background check fingerprinting service for campus affiliates as well as the general public by appointment only. Walk-ins are not accepted. Appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding weekends and holidays). Clients must arrive early or be on time to avoid rescheduling. Live Scan services are available by direct cost or by department recharge. All major credit cards are accepted.   

The UCLA Police Department Records Unit can conduct off-site fingerprinting for University departments or external entities for groups of 25 people or more, subject to availability based on location and distance.  Payment for off-site group fingerprinting is available by cash, check, or department recharge.   

UCLA Police Department, Records Unit Phone: (310) 206-8126   

LiveScan Related Information   

Universal Background Screening is UCLA’s provider of comprehensive employment background checks including county, state and federal criminal record checks, verifications of past employment, education, professional licenses and certification, searches of government and industry-specific sanction lists, and other important candidate background data.   

Conviction records obtained through Universal Background Screening are governed by the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, which limits consumer reporting agencies from including criminal history information that predates the report by seven years.  Additionally, Universal Background Screening will not automatically provide subsequent conviction records to the University.   

NOTE:  Used only when LiveScan is not accessible to the applicant.   

SB 791 & AB 810 Requirements

UCLA complies with all applicable California hiring laws, including SB 791 and AB 810 in support of the University’s commitment to maintaining, building, and supporting an inclusive, healthy, and safe working environment. Departments are responsible for following through on these requirements as part of the reference and background checking process and ensuring no work begins until clearance is received. 

Required Action / Steps to Request / What to Expect   

  1. Check if the department HR manager has access to UBS; if so, the Department HR manager will initiate the process for the hiring manager.  
  2. The department HR manager will contact the Campus Human Resource Chief Administrative Officer to set up an account for the department if required.  
  3. All information from UBS is routed to ELR for review and notification to the department.    

  UBS Related Information    

 Related Policies and Resources   

Questions? 

If you have questions for Employee Relations, please contact your Employee Relations (ER) Consultant or email employee.relations@chr.ucla.edu. 

UCLA Health employees can receive assistance by emailing uclahealthemployeerelations@mednet.ucla.edu or by calling 310-794-0500.