When to use this template
Use this only after you've followed your jurisdiction's legal process for adverse action based on a background check. In the US, this means pre-adverse action notice, a reasonable waiting period, and a final adverse action notice under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Similar rules apply in the EU, UK, and elsewhere.
This is not a template you can adapt freely. Treat the content below as a starting structure to hand to your employment counsel, not something to send as-is.
Never send a background-check rejection the same day you receive the report. Most regulated markets require a buffer for the candidate to dispute inaccurate information.
Considerations
- Do not send before your pre-adverse action period has elapsed. This varies by jurisdiction.
- Include the contact details of the background check provider so the candidate can dispute.
- Do not describe what was found. The provider's report is the record; your email isn't.
- Confirm this wording with employment counsel for your jurisdiction.
- Retain all documentation — pre-adverse, final, candidate responses — for your legal hold period.
The email template
Copy the version below and replace the {{placeholders}} with your specifics — or use the generator to fill everything in at once.
Final decision on your {{role}} application at {{company}}
Hi {{candidate_name}},
Following our pre-adverse action notice dated [DATE] and the waiting period that followed, {{company}} has made a final decision not to move forward with your application for the {{role}} role.
This decision was based in part on the background check report prepared by [BACKGROUND CHECK PROVIDER NAME]. You have the right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of the report directly with them at [PROVIDER CONTACT INFO]. A copy of your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act is attached.
Thank you for your time and patience during our process.
Regards,
{{your_name}}How to personalize
Replace these placeholders before sending:
- {{candidate_name}}
- {{role}}
- {{company}}
- {{hiring_manager}}
- {{your_name}}
For any rejection that follows a live conversation, add one specific detail from that conversation — a project they mentioned, a question they asked, something they built. One concrete reference turns a form letter into a message the candidate will remember.