Updated Summary of Rights Under the FCRA

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has released an updated government notice titled "A Summary of Your Rights Under The Fair Credit Reporting Act."

These forms became effective on April 19, 2023. You can start using these new versions immediately, but please note the use of the new version is not mandatory until March 20, 2024.

Why This Matters

The "Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA" is a federal document that employers and consumer reporting agencies are required to provide to applicants as part of the adverse action process. When an employer intends to take adverse action based on a background check — denying employment, a promotion, or another benefit — the FCRA requires that both a pre-adverse action notice and a final adverse action letter include a copy of this document.

Using an outdated version of the form is a compliance risk. Once March 20, 2024 passed, the new version became the required standard.

Timeline

Download the Updated Forms

Both the English and Spanish versions of the updated Summary of Rights are available through the CFPB directly and through our Download Documents section. Always use the current version when sending adverse action correspondence.

When Is This Document Required?

Under the FCRA, the Summary of Rights must accompany both of the following:

• The pre-adverse action notice — sent before any final decision, along with a copy of the background check report
• The final adverse action letter — sent after the waiting period has elapsed and a decision has been made

This applies any time you are using a consumer report from a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) to make an employment decision. That includes background check reports ordered through Research Services.

For a full explanation of the two-step adverse action process and how it works, see our Adverse Action guide.

Rich Dunn

Research Services

860-678-0066 rich@ctbackgroundchecks.com