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Walgreens Background Check: How They Work & How to Pass

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Walgreens is the 2nd largest pharmacy store chain in the United States, right after CVS health.

Being that popular, it’s no surprise that many people would be interested in working at Walgreens.

However, before you do that, you should understand your application won’t be approved without a background check.

This check aims to filter the applications and prevent potentially dangerous individuals from taking part in the company.

Walgreens Background Check Basics

Walgreen will check the background of all applicants interested in working there.

This applies even if you are simply aiming for a retail position.

There are no details about how the Walgreen background check happens.

This is to avoid having it exploited.

Do You Need to Do a Background Check to Apply at Walgreens?

The short answer is yes.

You do need a background check if you intend to work at Walgreens, regardless of the position you’re applying for.

This usually isn’t an issue unless someone has a criminal record.

At this point, people’s applications may get accepted or rejected depending on the background check results.

Positions That Require a Background Check:

Here are some examples of the positions in Walgreen’s that require a background check:

●     Pharmacy positions: Pharmacists and technicians are often in direct contact with the customers. Their background should be flawless as they represent the company.

●     Warehouse jobs: Workers and managers in the distribution system can access the company’s stock. If stealing came up in their background checks, their chances of landing the job would be reduced.

●     Call center jobs: Customer service agents are responsible for helping and answering all the questions the customers may have. They should be able to handle people properly, so their background check shouldn’t include any behavioral issues.

●     IT jobs: Software-based positions shouldn’t be handed over to people with a history of online theft or piracy. The application may get rejected if this comes out in the background check.

Can You Work at Walgreens Without a Background Check?

There’s no such thing as working in Walgreens without a background check.

Every application will go through various filtering systems, and checking the background is one of the main ones.

Who Runs the Background Checks?

A government agency usually runs background checks in Walgreens and most other companies for a small fee.

Sometimes private 3rd party companies may run those checks, but the fees will be higher.

What Does the Background Check Look For?

In short, background checks look for any criminal records or felonies the applicant may have.

This is to ensure that the applicant is fit for the job and won’t pose any danger to themselves or the surrounding working crew.

These background checks take into account the severity, frequency, number, and how far back the crime was.

In other words, a crime on the record doesn’t mean automatic rejection.

However, there’s no reliable source to tell you whether a certain crime can cause rejection of a particular position in Walgreens.

Some companies might not look at all categories of crimes; here’s an example of some categories to give you a better idea:

Vehicle Report

Checking the applicant’s vehicle report will reveal if they had used that vehicle to commit some sort of crime.

A clean vehicle record will be a good plus to your Walgreens application.

Criminal Background Check

Background checks are unlikely to skip or dismiss this section. Knowing the past felonies/crimes of the applicant is vital to prevent hiring potentially dangerous individuals.

The background check often focuses on this aspect more than others.

Driving Record

Driving-related crimes can be very minor and often dismissed by background checks.

For example, if the applicant has been charged various times with speeding, it won’t go against his retail role.

However, it may hurt his application if he’s aiming for a truck driver position.

Will They Check My Credit?

Typically, most companies don’t check the credit of their applicants.

However, several Walgreens applicants did report that they asked them for their credit information, so keep that in mind.

How Far in the Past Does the Background Check Go?

A general background check often goes back to when you were 18 years old.

It’s hard to tell if Walgreen’s check goes back that far.

However, some applicants with crimes dating over 10 years back have had their applications rejected.

So it’s safe to say that the background check goes back at least 10 years in the past.

What Do I Need to Supply For The Walgreens Background Check?

Now that you understand what the background check will look for, it’s time to know what you should provide for that check during the application.

What Do I Need to Supply For The Walgreens Background Check?

Here’s the information you need to provide for your Walgreens background check:

●     Full Name: You need to provide your full name as it’s written on your driver’s license or identity card. Avoid minor mistakes like writing (Sara) instead of (Sarah) as it could actually complicate things.

●     Date of Birth: Provide your date of birth in the imperial format. If you’re coming from outside the United States, the imperial format goes like this: Month / Day / Year.

●     Social Security Number: Simply provide your social security number to allow the background check to identify you.

●     Address: Provide your address as clearly and as detailed as possible.

●     Contact Information: Provide your preferred contact information. It’s recommended to leave at least two phone numbers for contact.

●     Consent Form: Provide your consent and that you have revised and confirmed all the information you provided.

Do Walgreens Background Checks Cost Anything?

Background checks always cost both the applicant and the company.

However, the cost will vary depending on how deep the check is.

The background check typically costs the company between $10–$100.

The applicant usually pays a small fee (less than $10).

How Long Does a Walgreens Background Check Take?

The background check waiting time will vary depending on many factors.

The number of applicants at the time, the corresponding holidays, and any past issues in your background check are all factors that can slow down the process.

Average Waiting Time

If everything goes smoothly, the background check takes around 3 business days after submission and 1–2 days for manager clearance.

You should expect around 5–7 days for everything to complete if you have a clear background.

Reasons Walgreens Background Checks are Taking So Long

Background checks take longer than expected when something shows up in the check.

Your application then would go to the HR of the company.

You can expect the manager to take action on that application anywhere between 10–20 business days.

Some people still experience variable waiting times. It happens, but it’s not the norm.

How to Check The Status of Your Background Check

You can check the status of your background check using two methods.

The first one is calling the Walgreens help center and providing your information so they can give you a response.

The second option is to use an online checker.

Simply provide your information and view your status.

Different Statuses of Background Checks

If you are to check your status, you’ll see 1 out of 7 possibilities; they are:

●     Passed: You have passed the background check. Simply proceed with your application to get hired.

●     Pending: A pending background check means that your application hasn’t reached the next step yet. Wait for a bit more.

●     Pending Verification: This status often shows up when you haven’t provided all the required information. Double-check the information you provided and make sure that everything is there.

●     Flagged: This means that something came up in your background check and is currently under investigation.

●     Failed: If the flagged application gets denied, the background check will be marked as failed. In other words, the application is denied.

●     Canceled: If you haven’t checked your background check or proceeded with the application for over 30 days, the background check, along with the application, gets canceled.

●     Error: This status means that your application hasn’t been transmitted to the checking agency. Contact or pay a visit to where you applied and inform them of what happened.

What Happens If I’m Rejected?

Many applications get rejected in Walgreens.

If yours is one of them, then you may have lacked the necessary qualifications or did something in the past that showed up in the background check.

How Can I Avoid Rejection?

To avoid rejection, you need to provide all the required documents with the application.

You also need to have the necessary qualifications for the positions you’re seeking.

Also, you should pass the drug test as all positions in Walgreens require it.

Last but not least, you should have no severe crime in your past.

Is a Rejection Final?

Rejection isn’t final.

If you have committed no crime and are sure that you have all the required qualifications, then something may have gone wrong during the background check.

In this case, you can appeal your rejected background check.

Appealing a Rejected Walgreens Background Check

If you’re sure that your background check was unfairly rejected, or if you believe that a certain crime you’ve committed is no longer liable to happen, you may appeal a rejected background check.

●     Ask for a copy: You have the right to ask for a copy of your background check if it gets rejected. Secure that copy so you can check for errors yourself.

●     Find the mistake(s): View your copy and see if there are mistakes or inaccuracies. Sometimes you may find that your name may have been confused with someone else’s, so check that too.

●     Find the source of the problem: Look for the agency responsible for the error. For example, seek the driving records if there’s an error in your driving background check. Don’t seek the background screening company itself as they seek the already existing wrong issues.

●     Fix the issue: Once you find the issue, you should contact the agency and inform them with proof that they have wrong information about you.

●     Return to Walgreens: Once you have proof that your background check is at fault, return to Walgreens and ask them to repeat your background check.

Keep in mind that you might need a lawyer to help you through these steps.

Why You Should Dispute a Rejected Background Check

If you can see yourself working at Walgreens and you do have all the requirements without any criminal history, Walgreens has no reason to reject you.

If the background check shows something that you know you haven’t done, you need to dispute that to understand what’s going on.

Walgreens may have made a mistake while doing your background check, or they may be wrong information tied to your name or social security number.

Either way, you should investigate that.

The Chances of Getting Walgreens’s Decision Reversed

If Walgreen’s decision was indeed because of a mistake or information mishandling, then you have a great chance of reversing that decision and landing the job.

You must meet the necessary qualifications, though.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do Walgreens background checks happen?

Walgreens background checks are applied to almost every application.

So it’s safe to say that the answer to that question is always.

Does Walgreens hire felons?

Walgreens has a reputation for being “felon-friendly.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean anyone with a criminal history will land the job.

But there’s a good chance for felons to work at Walgreens.

Is a Walgreens background check confidential?

Walgreens background check is confidential and not available for public disclosure.

There’s no definite answer on how Walgreens performs its background check.

Does Walgreens also drug test employees?

All Walgreens applicants need to perform a drug test before being accepted.

This is done before the first hiring and during every promotion.

Wrapping Up

Walgreens background check is usually the most decisive factor in hitting or missing the job.

Most reputable jobs need a background check now, so it shouldn’t strike anyone as a surprise.

Fortunately, Walgreens does hire felons if their crimes aren’t that severe.

How severe is Walgreens severe?

Unfortunately, nobody can tell for sure.

In other words, if you have a chance to work there.

Take it.

You have nothing to lose.

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