Washington

Background check Laws in WA:

RCW 19.182.040 – Consumer report – Prohibited information – Exceptions

Except as authorized under subsection (2) of this section, no consumer reporting agency may make a consumer report containing any of the following items of information: (e) Records of arrest, indictment, or conviction of crime that, from date of disposition, release, or parole, antedate the report by more than seven years. (2) Subsection (1)(a) through (e) and (g) of this section is not applicable in the case of a consumer report to be used in connection with: (a) A credit transaction involving, or that may reasonably be expected to involve, a principal amount of fifty thousand dollars or more; (b) The underwriting of life insurance involving, or that may reasonably be expected to involve, a face amount of fifty thousand dollars or more; or (c) The employment of an individual at an annual salary that equals, or that may reasonably be expected to equal, twenty thousand dollars or more.

RCW 19.182.020 Consumer Reports - Furnishing - Procuring

  (c) a person may not procure a consumer report for employment purposes where any information contained in the report bears on the consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity, unless the information is either:

     (i) Substantially job related and the employer's reasons for the use of such information are disclosed to the consumer in writing; or

     (ii) Required by law

In other words:

Consumer reporting agencies cannot report on criminal information that is older than 7 years, unless the consumer report is used in connection with: (1) a credit transaction that involves or is expected to involve $50,000 or more; or (2) a life insurance policy of $50,000 or more; or (3) the employment of an applicant whose annual salary will equal or is expected to equal $20,000 or more.

In other words:

An employ cannot obtain a credit report for employment purposes unless the employer is required by law to obtain the credit information; or the credit information is substantially related to the job and the reason for obtaining the credit information is disclosed in writing to the applicant or employee.