We admit the government shutdown can be a pain, but it has not delayed much of what we do here at GroupOne Background Screening. There are some issues with E-Verify backlogs and federal record delays, and compliance can be difficult.
During these difficult times, it’s good to detail which parts of the process are the most important, what’s delayed, and how to protect both your compliance responsibilities and your job candidate’s experience.
What’s Impacted
Private databases, such as county court records, state repositories, education verifications and professional licensing boards are still functioning. Delays are mainly appearing at the federal level.
Systems used for federal criminal record searches and certain exclusion lists may take longer to update. The following federal databases are temporarily unavailable and unable to return updated records after October 1, 2025:
- Consent-Based SSN Verification (CBSV)
- Federal Civil (Single/National) – Reports may not include data after October 1, 2025.
- Federal Criminal (Single/National) – Reports may not include data after October 1, 2025.
- Fraud Abuse Control Information System (FACIS) L1/L3 – Data may only be current through October 1, 2025.
- Professional License Verifications – Federal-level license databases may not include data after October 1, 2025.
What about healthcare background checks?
The healthcare industry is among the hardest hit by federal interruptions. During the shutdown, access to exclusion data from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and updates to the Fraud and Abuse Control Information System (FACIS) are paused. This means any new sanctions, exclusions or disciplinary actions issued after October 1, 2025, aren’t currently reflected in reports.
Background checks that depend on these data sources will still return valid results through that date but won’t show the most recent updates until federal systems come back online.
What you can do?
- Continue running OIG/FACIS checks, even if the data is only current through October 1st.
- Annotate reports with “data current as of Oct. 1, 2025 – pending update upon federal restoration.”
- Schedule automatic rechecks once the systems resume.
- Communicate proactively with compliance officers and auditors, showing awareness and documentation.
Compliance Best Practices
Here’s a couple of recommendations:
- Document everything – If a federal source is unavailable, record the attempted date and the reason for delay. Documentation shows good faith and due diligence.
- Communicate openly with candidates – A simple message can prevent anxiety: “Some federal databases are experiencing slowdowns due to the government shutdown. Your background check is complete. If anything needs updating, we’ll handle it automatically.”
Be Prepared
The government shutdown may slow verifications, but it doesn’t have to halt your entire hiring program. Stay organized, transparent and keep hiring. The data will catch up.
If the past few years have taught us anything, from remote working to AI innovations, it’s that resilience matters more than ever. A temporary shutdown doesn’t invalidate screening data or diligence, it simply highlights where stronger documentation, communication and vendor readiness can make all the difference. Secure those, and the next “shutdown” won’t be as much of a pain.
The information and opinions expressed are for educational purposes only and are based on current practice, industry-related knowledge and business expertise. The information provided shall not be construed as legal advice, express or implied.