Starting January 1, 2013, employers are required to use updated forms as part of their background check process.  The same date will also be the shift in responsibility for interpreting the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  The responsibility is transferred from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The main change in the forms reflect the change in contact information to the CFPB. Information about the FCRA can also be found at the website http://www.consumerfinance.gov/.  One of the new forms available for the employer is entitled, "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act."  This Summary must be provided when employers (or their third party background checkers)  issue a pre-adverse decision notice to an employee or applicant based on their credit report.

Another form, "Notice to Users of Consumer Reports:  Obligations of Users Under the FCRA," is a form that the third party background checking companies need to provide to the employers who use their services.