FCRA Basics for New Attorneys: Employment Background Checks, Compliant Policies, Penalties

Ms. Devata has extensive knowledge and experience on all things relating to the use of criminal, credit, and other background checks related to hiring. Both employers and background screening companies (consumer reporting agencies) look to Ms. Devata for guidance based on her deep knowledge and experience practicing in this area for nearly 20 years. She has a wide range of experience in this area of law. Ms. Devata has handled hundreds of class action lawsuits and numerous single-plaintiff cases. She has also discussed these topics to key stakeholders at thousands of speaking engagements. She even testified in October 2010 at the Public Meeting of the EEOC in Washington, DC, about the use of credit checks as a screening tool for job applicants. Ms. Devata is recognized nationwide for her vast knowledge on all things related to background checks. She counsels employers, marketplaces, staffing companies, property management companies, insurance companies, and background screening companies on the intricacies of the FCRA and laws affecting hiring and screening processes. She represents more than 200 background screening companies of all sizes.

Ms. Teachout is a distinguished employment attorney with over two decades of experience representing private and federal-sector employees. Her experience primarily includes representing employees who have suffered discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Ms. Teachout is particularly adept at navigating the complexities of federal employment laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Her considerable successes include a landmark reversal in a sex discrimination case before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals: Merritt v. Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., 601 F.3d 289 (4th Cir. 2010).