Walmart says you failed the background check. You know there’s no way that’s right. Now what?
What did they find? Did I miss a parking ticket? Forget to return a library book in 2009? Or worse – is there something in my background check that isn’t even true?
Here’s where it gets messy – failing a Walmart background check doesn’t automatically mean you’re guilty of anything. In fact, plenty of people get tripped up by Walmart background check errors all the time.
And when you’re dealing with corporate hiring processes, even the smallest mistake can mean the difference between “Welcome aboard” and “Thanks, but no thanks.”
So, before you assume the worst (or give up entirely), let’s talk about who’s really behind Walmart background checks, what they’re looking for, and why sometimes the “failure” isn’t your fault at all.
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Who Does the Walmart Background Check?
If you’ve ever applied for a job at Walmart and made it to the “background check” stage, you’ve probably wondered: Who’s actually digging into my past?
As you likely know by now, the Walmart background check is not actually performed by Walmart. It is performed by outside companies. Under the law, these companies are called consumer reporting agencies (CRAs), but in every day terms, they are called background check companies.
Surprised to learn that it’s not some mysterious HR wizard in the back of the store?
First Advantage
A Walmart background check is usually handled by a background check company called First Advantage.
First Advantage is one of the big players in the background check game, working with huge employers to run criminal background checks, verify employment history, and check a few other boxes.
First Advantage pulls information from multiple databases, including court records, credit reports (in certain positions), and sometimes even driving records.
Sterling
Like many large employers, Walmart may also use other third-party background screening companies depending on the role, location, or hiring needs. One of the other big names you might see is Sterling, another major background check company that provides similar services.
Sterling also taps into public records, employment databases, and criminal justice systems to create a background check report. While their systems are sophisticated, they’re still not perfect, meaning background check errors can and do happen, no matter which company is used.
Whether it’s First Advantage, Sterling, or another background check company entirely, none are immune to making mistakes. When your Walmart background check report has background check errors, things get messy fast.
What Does a Walmart Background Check Look For?
The exact scope depends on the job you’re applying for, but in general, a Walmart background check will look for:
- Criminal background check results – Felonies, misdemeanors, and sometimes arrests, depending on the role and state laws.
- Employment verification – Did you actually work where you said you worked?
- Education verification – Did you really graduate from that school or program?
- Driving records – Especially for delivery, transportation, or equipment operation roles.
- Credit history – Rare, but may be checked for certain financial or management positions.
- Professional licenses and certifications – For pharmacy techs, opticians, or other regulated roles.
- Reference checks – Contacting former supervisors to confirm work performance or reason for leaving.
- Identity verification – Confirming your Social Security number and matching it to your identity.
- Sex offender registry check – In compliance with federal and state laws for certain positions.
How far back does a Walmart background check go?
It varies by state. Many states have seven-year lookback limits for certain types of convictions, but others allow longer reporting periods.
How long does a Walmart background check take?
Again, it varies. But under normal conditions, a Walmart background check completed by First Advantage typically takes anywhere from 3 days to a week. Delays can happen if court records are slow to respond, or if there are errors that need manual review (which is where “fake” disqualifications love to sneak in).
Real vs. Fake: What Are the Walmart Background Check Disqualifications?
Let’s clear something up: Walmart isn’t looking for reasons to reject every applicant. But for every applicant who fails a Walmart background check, it’s important to know the difference between the real disqualifiers and the fake ones.
The real disqualifiers can legitimately block you from a job because they don’t align with Walmart’s hiring standards or criteria. The fake ones are caused by inaccurate background check reporting.
The Real Disqualifiers (Actual Reasons You Might Fail a Walmart Background Check):
- Serious violent crimes that directly conflict with job duties
- Recent theft or fraud convictions (especially for cash-handling roles)
- Felony convictions within certain timeframes depending on the state and role
- Driving-related convictions for positions involving company vehicles
- Falsified employment or education history
These are the kinds of things that, if true, Walmart might actually say, “Yeah, this is a problem.”
The Fake Disqualifiers (a.k.a. Background Check Errors):
- A criminal record belonging to someone else who shares your same name or birthdate
- Old charges that should be sealed or expunged but still show up
- Incorrect conviction dates making offenses look more recent
- Charges marked as “pending” when they were actually dismissed
- Duplicate entries making it look like you have multiple arrests or convictions when you don’t
- Mistaken identity due to sloppy Social Security number or address matching
This is where you can get a failed Walmart background check without having done anything wrong- because the data itself is wrong.
But guess what? You have legal rights when this happens.
What if Your Walmart Background Check Is Wrong?
If your Walmart background check report shows “fake” disqualifications- meaning, if it reports inaccurate, misleading, false, or unreportable information- you’ll need to file a First Advantage background check dispute (or Sterling background check dispute).
Will Walmart tell you if you failed the background check? Yes, but not necessarily in a detailed way. You might get a vague notice that your application is no longer being considered, and then a separate letter from the CRA explaining your rights. The problem is that by the time you get those, the job might already be gone.
This is why it’s important to know that you have legal rights that support you through the entire background check process.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have the right to:
- A copy of the background check report that caused the decision
- Dispute any inaccuracies in that report
- Have the CRA reinvestigate within 30 days (sometimes 45)
- Receive written confirmation of any corrections made
Keep in mind that even when you have the proof to show that there is a mistake in your background check, the dispute process can feel like running in quicksand.
CRAs sometimes just “verify” the same wrong information with the same bad source, and your background check errors stay in the system.
Why don’t I dispute background check errors with Walmart?
Since Walmart doesn’t conduct the actual background check, the law recognizes that Walmart has a right to rely on the work performed by the CRAS (background check companies) that it hires.
Afterall, Walmart pays First Advantage or Sterling money so they’ll deal with the details, processing, and management of the Walmart background checks so that Walmart doesn’t have to. It is reasonable for Walmart to expect legally correct and accurate reports from those companies.
However, there could still be circumstances in which Walmart is liable for its handling of your background report and data, so when you work with a background check lawyer, they consider all of the facts.
How to Dispute a Walmart Background Check in 6 Steps
Disputing a Walmart background check error is part legal strategy, part paperwork marathon. Here’s how to tackle it:
Step 1 – Talk to a Background Check Lawyer
It’s true that you don’t have to start with this step. But many people end up wishing that they had. You can talk to a background check lawyer at any point in the process, but it is easier to get an idea of how to protect yourself at every step if you kick-off the process with strong legal guidance. Plus, some background check errors are so devastatingly harmful that you may take a different approach altogether. Your lawyer can advise.
Step 2 – Get the Report
If you’ve been told you failed, request a copy of the full background check report from First Advantage, Sterling, or whoever performed the background check. This is your roadmap to finding the errors.
Step 3 – Identify the Mistakes
Go line-by-line and highlight anything inaccurate – wrong dates, wrong charges, charges that don’t belong to you, anything that feels off or presents information in an inaccurate, misleading, or false way. Also, anything that should never have been reported in the first place (like sealed or expunged records).
Step 4 – Gather Evidence
Court records showing dismissals, expungements, or “no record found” can be powerful proof. Employment verification letters can also clear up false work history claims.
Step 5 – File a Formal Dispute
Send your dispute directly to First Advantage, Sterling, or another background check company in writing through certified mail to the dispute address provided on their website. Include copies of your evidence, clearly explaining what’s wrong. Keep copies of everything you send.
Step 6 – Follow Up
The FCRA requires CRAs to investigate, but “investigate” doesn’t always mean “thorough.” If you get ignored or don’t get results, you need legal backup.
Once you’ve checked all the boxes, report in hand, errors circled in red, evidence neatly stacked, you’d think the hard part is over. Unfortunately, with a Walmart background check dispute, this is where the real endurance test begins.
Consumer Reporting Agencies like First Advantage (or Sterling) are supposed to fix background check errors quickly under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
But “quickly” in CRA-land can mean weeks of waiting while your life stays on pause. And if their so-called investigation is just them asking the original (wrong) source to “double-check,” you might end up right back where you started.
The Anytime & Always Step – Call Us!
When you’re up against a stubborn background check company, holding a flat-out wrong criminal background check report in your hands, and stuck without a job offer, income, or peace of mind, Consumer Justice Law Firm will help.
Whether you’ve just learned that you were denied due to a Walmart background check error, you’ve been stuck in the endless dispute loop to nowhere for awhile, or you’ve suffered serious financial or other harm due to the false data in your report, we help you restore your record, reputation, and career.
FREE Consultations! No money out of pocket. We get paid when we win, and the companies we sue pay the bills. No Justice, No Fee.
Why Disputing Without Assistance Fails
A First Advantage background check dispute can still fail even if you’re right. Why? Because CRAs often take the original bad info from the source (like a court database or old employer record) and “verify” it without any deeper fact-checking. It’s a box-checking exercise, not an investigation.
This means you could have court documents proving your innocence, and the CRA still lists you as having a conviction you never had.
By the time the error is “resolved” (if it ever is), the Walmart job you applied for has probably been filled, your bills are piling up, and you’re left wondering how something so obviously wrong can be so hard to fix.
Without legal pressure, CRAs have little incentive to move quickly or dig deeper. A lawyer can demand they follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act to the letter, push for full documentation of their so-called “verification,” and ensure you aren’t brushed off with a canned response.
In short, legal help can mean the difference between endless frustration and a clean, corrected record that lets you get back to work.
GET JUSTICE! Get Fixes & Money!
A Walmart background check dispute isn’t just about clearing your name- it’s about protecting your livelihood, your reputation, your peace of mind, and your future opportunities.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have the right to accurate reporting, and when Consumer Reporting Agencies like First Advantage (or Sterling) fail to meet that standard, you may be entitled to money.
This can include compensation for lost wages, the emotional toll of being wrongfully labeled, and in some cases, punitive damages meant to hold these companies accountable.
At Consumer Justice Law Firm, we know how to dig into the evidence, confront CRAs with proof they can’t ignore, and push until the corrections are made.
We also know how to escalate when the other side thinks they can drag their feet or dismiss your claim. Whether it’s challenging false criminal background check results, cleaning up a botched employment verification, or exposing reporting errors that cost you a Walmart job, we bring the legal firepower to get results.
If you’ve been denied work at Walmart because of background check errors, don’t let a bad report define you. Contact us, and we’ll fight to set the record straight – so the next time Walmart types out your name, it’s followed by “Congratulations, you’re hired.”
FREE Consultations! No money out of pocket. We get paid when we win, and the companies we sue pay the bills. No Justice, No Fee.