Conditional Offer of Employment
Frequently Asked Questions

Conditional Offer of Employment

• What happens if I am selected for hire to a position with Baltimore County Government?
• Do I have to pay for the pre-employment physical and drug screen, and/or my employment background investigation?
• What happens if the results of my pre-employment physical and drug screen, and/or my employment background investigation are not satisfactory for the job?
• Who has access to my employment background investigation information?
• When will I be notified of the results of my pre-employment physical and drug screen and my employment background investigation?

Pre-Employment Physical and Drug Screen

• When should I report for my pre-employment physical and drug screen?
• Where do I go for my pre-employment physical and drug screen?
• What do I need to bring with me to the pre-employment physical and drug screen?
• Is there anything else I need to know about the pre-employment physical and drug screen?

Employment Background Investigation

• What do I need to do to complete the employment background investigation process?
• How can I schedule my fingerprint appointment?
• Where do I go for my fingerprint appointment?
• What documents and other information will I need to bring with me to the fingerprint appointment?
• What will happen during my fingerprint appointment?
• When will my employment background investigation process begin?
• Who is required to have an employment background investigation?
• Why am I required to have an employment background investigation?
• What is included in the employment background investigation?
• If I have any kind of criminal background will I automatically be disqualified for employment?
• If I have already gone through a fingerprint and criminal background check process for another job, or for some other reason, will I have to submit to Baltimore County's employment background investigation?

Conditional Offer of Employment

Q. What happens if I am selected for hire to a position with Baltimore County Government?

A. The hiring agency will contact you to make a conditional offer of employment. This means that before you start work you must first successfully complete the following two steps of our pre-employment process:

• A pre-employment physical and drug screen;

and

• An employment background investigation, including, but not limited to a criminal background, educational and fingerprint check.

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Q. Do I have to pay for the pre-employment physical and drug screen, and/or my employment background investigation?

A. No. Baltimore County pays for the pre-employment physical and drug screen; and for the employment background investigation, including fingerprinting.

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Q. What happens if the results of my pre-employment physical and drug screen, and/or my employment background investigation are not satisfactory for the job?

A. You will be notified that your conditional offer of employment has been rescinded and that your application for the position has been disqualified.  You will receive copies of the records that disqualified you from employment for the position.

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Q. Who has access to my employment background investigation information?

A. Records are kept confidential and secure in the Office of Human Resources.

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Q. When will I be notified of the results of my pre-employment physical and drug screen and my employment background investigation?

A. Normally, the process to collect and review the pre-employment physical/drug screen and employment background investigation results takes up to two weeks.  When you have successfully completed the process, the hiring agency will notify you to schedule your first day of work.

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Pre-Employment Physical And Drug Screen

Q. When should I report for my pre-employment physical and drug screen?

A. When the hiring agency contacts you to make a conditional offer of employment they will tell you the date and time to report for your pre-employment physical and drug screen. 

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Q. Where do I go for my pre-employment physical and drug screen?

A.
Concentra
1840 York Road, Suite E
Timonium, MD 21093

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Q. What do I need to bring with me to the pre-employment physical and drug screen?

A. A Picture ID, such as a driver's license or a government issued photo identification card.

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Q. Is there anything else I need to know about the pre-employment physical and drug screen?

A.

• Allow up to two hours for the pre-employment physical and drug screen process.
• During the physical process, you will be required to provide a urine specimen for urinalysis drug screen.
• There are no accommodations to supervise young children during the physical and drug screen process. Concentra staff will not be able to proceed with your scheduled examination should you have a young child with you.

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Employment Background Investigation

Q. What do I need to do to complete the employment background investigation process?

A. Within two weeks of your conditional offer of employment you need to review and complete your Employment Background Investigation forms packet (PDF) and schedule your fingerprint appointment with Integrated Biometric Technology (IBT). An Employment Background Investigation forms packet may also be picked up from the Office of Human Resources, Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Q. How can I schedule my fingerprint appointment?

A. You can schedule your fingerprint appointment at www.IBTFingerprint.com, select Baltimore County General Government for agency, or by calling 1-877-467-9215, Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Q. Where do I go for my fingerprint appointment?

A.
Baltimore County Government
Office of Human Resources
308 Allegheny Avenue
Towson, MD 21204

Detailed directions and map help locate the Office of Human Resources building. Limited free parking is available in spots marked Visitor, available on the lot located at the side of the building.

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Q. What documents and other information will I need to bring with me to the fingerprint appointment?

A.

• Driver's license, if required by the job position; or a government issued photo identification card;
• Information related to name changes;
• Current and previous residence/address information; and
• Documents to prove identity and establish employment eligibility.

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Q. What will happen during my fingerprint appointment?

A.

• The fingerprint technician will review your forms for completion;
• The fingerprint technician will fingerprint you;
• You will complete a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; and
• The fingerprint technician will review your identity and employment eligibility documents.

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Q. When will my employment background investigation process begin?

A. After the hiring agency has extended a conditional offer of employment to you.

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Q. Who is required to have an employment background investigation?

A. Employment background investigations will be conducted on applicants not currently employed by Baltimore County Government, after a conditional offer of employment has been made.

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Q. Why am I required to have an employment background investigation?

A. The employment background investigation assists Baltimore County in identifying the suitability of job applicants for the position, to preserve the safety and security of Baltimore County residents and to maintain the integrity of Baltimore County government operations.

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Q. What is included in the employment background investigation?

A. The employment background investigation includes, but is not limited to, an examination of the following information:

• Criminal record
• Educational record
• Fingerprint check
• Driving record
• Social security number verification

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Q. If I have any kind of criminal background will I automatically be disqualified for employment?

A. No. You will not automatically be disqualified if you have a criminal conviction, guilty plea, probation before judgment (PBJ), or finding of not criminally responsible (NCR). The factors that will be considered in making a determination about your suitability for employment include:

• The type of crime
• The frequency of violations and/or a pattern of offenses
• The time elapsed since the conviction or disposition
• The applicant's age at the time of conviction or disposition
• The duties of the job

We do not expect each and every applicant to have a perfect past. However, it is important for you to answer all questions thoroughly and provide complete and factual information pertaining to any conviction, guilty plea, probation before judgment (PBJ), or finding of not criminally responsible (NCR). Failure to disclose the above information will be sufficient cause to disqualify you from employment, regardless of the seriousness of the offense. Note: You do not need to tell us about juvenile offenses unless you were tried as an adult.  You do not need to tell us about expunged criminal records.

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Q. If I have already gone through a fingerprint and criminal background check process for another job, or for some other reason, will I have to submit to Baltimore County's employment background investigation?

A. Yes. It is important that we receive the employment background investigation in a consistent manner for applicants hired in Baltimore County.

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Revised June 12, 2009