Job seeker loses opportunity following incorrect background check

Background checks are becoming more present in the job market, but that does not mean they are an exact science. According KGO-TV, Patrick Padilla found that out the hard way when a background check during his interview process at a Vallejo, California, Walmart came back with information about another Patrick Padilla. Padilla told the news source that he found a background screening report in his mailbox that outlined a litany of criminal cases that were not related to his personal history. Padilla told KGO-TV that he and the other Patrick Padilla shared the same birthday, but their different middle names should have tipped off employers. He presented Walmart with a series of legal documents, including his driver's license, passport and birth certificate confirming that he was not the man that popped up on the background check, but Walmart dismissed his candidacy anyway. Padilla's case exemplifies that companies conducting background checks should confirm the identity of individual in the report. Cases like Padilla's not only show the need to ensure accuracy, but can spare a company and job seekers a large amount of aggravation.