Employment Background Check in Lithuania: Comprehensive Guide

Lithuania is among the three EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe that attract the most economic growth investments. Lithuania is among Europe’s fastest-growing investment attraction centers, especially in ICT & fintech industries. 

With the official plan to attract at least 225 direct foreign investments in the next five years, Lithuania is undoubtedly among the favorite destinations for entrepreneurs & companies to expand their business presence globally. 

The convenience of hiring & recruiting local talents is also a deciding factor in global expansion. Employers may responsibly expand their workforce in Lithuania through employment background checks and avoid recruiting unscrupulous candidates. 

A pre-employment background check in Lithuania on prospects is a widely accepted practice, along with employee screening in Lithuania on existing employees to keep employers away from any risks & liabilities.  

Lithuanian employment law only obliges employers to seek information relevant to the job description. Read further to learn about the legality and best practices involving employment background checks in Lithuania.

What Is Employment Background Verification?

An employment background verification is a hiring standard to confirm the information provided in the job application and disclose any further undeclared details on the candidate.  

Through pre-employment background checks, employers can confirm prospects’ or employees’ claims about their formal education, work experience, references, professional license, and other professional accomplishments. 

Employers also prefer to verify undisclosed personal & professional information through background searches. You can use criminal records, credit/financial defraud history, medical screening, drug and alcohol testing, fingerprint & handwriting, especially for positions demanding the highest integrity and responsibility.  

New-age pre-employment background checks and employee screening processes include: 

• Side hustling, especially for remote work positions
• Social media presence 
• Political views
• Union membership

Benefits of Background Checks in Lithuania

Background checks in Lithuania benefit employers in multiple ways: 

Improves quality of job applications

• Mandatory employment background screening for a job post will attract genuine applicants. 
• Therefore, employers conducting a pre-employment background check in Lithuania see fewer application discrepancies. 

Making an informed hiring choice 

• HR background checks involving verification of work references and academic certificates help in hiring the most proficient candidates. 
• Informal background checks through social media public profiles ensure candidates with proven etiquette join the workplace.

Safeguard the company from legal or financial risks & liabilities

• A pre-employment background check ensures the safety & security of the workplace. It eliminates the risk of investing in employees that can turn into liabilities. 
• A criminal background check on employees with indefinite-term contracts can save your company from financial, legal, or criminal liabilities. 

Usually, the employment screening process depends on each country’s background check laws. Let’s explore this further. 

Are Background Checks Legal in Lithuania?

Employers registered as legal entities, or those operating through an Employer of Record (EOR) in Lithuania, can verify work references, academic records, and social security certificates or even send employees a medical check at any time of employment for a background check in Lithuania. 

On the other hand, criminal background checks in Lithuania are restricted to only legal entities and upon a reasoned request. 

Things to Know When Performing a Background Check in Lithuania

Here is a detailed account of various employment background checks that an employer can carry out in Lithuania. 

Medical history

• Lithuanian background check law makes medical checks mandatory upon hiring and periodic inspections for the following groups of employees:

1. 1. Employees under 18 years old
   2. Employees working at night and shift workers
   3. Employees at the risk of workplace occupational hazard 
   4. Employees with special abilities when their work conditions are changed

Criminal record

• Criminal record certificates are issued by the Information Technology and Communications Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. These are granted directly to employees. 
• The information in the criminal record certificate reveals: 

1. 1. Type of conviction: Several offenses, Minor offenses, and Juvenal punishment convictions and 
   2. Type of penalty: Penalty suspension, probation, or parole 

• Employers can only perform criminal background checks in Lithuania under exceptional cases by law where hiring, transferring, or promoting the candidate would pose an unreasonable risk to any stakeholders. 

Credit report

• Employers are restrained from accessing employees’ financial or debt history for background checks in Lithuania. 
• The restriction is valid under the 2018 law on protecting personal data. 

Employment history

• Employers are allowed to verify references declared in the job application. However, written consent from the candidate is necessary when verifying the current employer. 
• Here an employment background check in Lithuania includes verifying the applicant’s title, professional accomplishments, and whether they are suitable for rehiring. 

Education history

• Employers in Lithuania may seek academic documents like degree or diploma certificates, transcripts, and mark sheets to verify academic proficiency. 
• If applicable, verification of the professional license or language proficiency is included here. 

Social life

• Social media channels like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit are popular in Lithuania. 
• Conducting HR background checks in Lithuania on these channels can give employers insight into candidates’ personalities, views, behavioral traits, and more.  

Information Essential for a Background Check in Lithuania  

The following information will guide employers in conducting pre-employment checks or employee screenings in Lithuania: 

• Prior written consent from the candidate is essential before conducting a background search in Lithuania. 
• Lithuania restricts employers from contracting third-party providers to formally check convicted criminal history and references. 
• Employers cannot practice discrimination in recruitment based on information like sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic origin, social status, religion, union membership, or political affiliation revealed during the company background checks in Lithuania.
• Employers must delete data collected and processed for employment background screening in Lithuania after the expiration of the retention period. 
• As GDPR applies in Lithuania, employers must retain the personal data of employees only till the time it is needed for processing. You can keep other records for up to ten years. 

Process Involved in Background Checks in Lithuania

There is no prescribed framework for conducting employment background checks in Lithuania. A standard background check in Lithuania may include seeking consent from the candidate, verifying the claims made in the job application and candidate identity through third-party vendors, and informal inquiries through social media public profiles. 

Based on this, you can follow the following steps for conducting a background search in Lithuania:  

Step 1: Find a right team

• A dedicated HR department specializing in Lithuanian labor laws can conduct background checks while complying with GDPR rules.
• An alternative trend is also gaining popularity among global employers and companies that do not register as local entities in Lithuania.  They partner with Employer-of-Record (EOR), like Multiplier, to stay compliant with local rules and regulations for employment background screening in Lithuania.

Step 2: Seeking consent from the candidate

• Employers with a legal entity in Lithuania must seek written consent from the candidate or employee to conduct a background check. 
• Employers can begin pre-employment or employee screening in Lithuania only upon receiving consent.  

Step 3: Ask for necessary documents 

• Standard documents for background screening in Lithuania include government IDs like passport and driving license, degree or diploma mark sheets, transcripts, and employment references. 
• Asking for sensitive documents, like medical records and criminal background history, is allowed on a case basis.
• Further, a residence permit and police clearance certification may be required for employing a foreigner in Lithuania. 

Step 4: Begin pre-employment background check

• The following types of pre-employment background checks are practiced in Lithuania:    

1. 1. Professional certifications: Companies can visually verify hard copies of academic or training credentials & certificates. It can even be confirmed with the institutions directly that issued them.
   2. Professional associations: Prospective candidates are verified by their valid membership in any relevant association depending on their profession like medical, engineering, law, accountancy, etc.,
   3. Job references: Employers can follow up on the disclosed references of previous employers except for the current one. 
   4. Ask around: Hiring candidates in managerial positions are expected to have occupied similar positions, and verifying about the same in local business circles concludes their background search in Lithuania. 

Step 5: Conduct employee screening 

• Employers can ask a particular group of employees to undergo medical tests during the employment contract term. 
• Employers can verify employees’ criminal history during promotions or transfer of employees.  

Industries and Situations Most Suitable for Background Checks in Lithuania

No set list of industries and instances is mentioned in the background check law that mandates employee screening in Lithuania. 

In such a situation, we recommend employers run background checks in Lithuania upon hiring self-employed contractors or prospects who directly applied to fill job vacancies. Criminal background checks in Lithuania are allowed in exceptional cases when hiring entry-level and c-suite executives in the financial, healthcare, education, childcare, or hazardous sectors. 

How Multiplier Helps With Background Checks

A significant proportion of do’s and don’ts for employment background checks in Lithuania fall under multiple areas of anti-discrimination, personal data protection, and employment laws. 

The guidelines for employee screening in Lithuania and pre-employment background checks in Lithuania are clear on who can collect documents and verify data. Further, employers must register as local entities to hire and conduct employee screening in Lithuania. 

However, foreign companies and global entrepreneurs looking to expand in Lithuania can directly partner with Employer-Of-Record (EOR) solutions like Multiplier and undertake background searches in Lithuania without registering a local entity.

Multiplier offers employee management services closely adhering to local regulations in over 150+ countries, including Lithuania. We help employers reduce their legal risks and liabilities while staying compliant with local hiring, recruitment, and payroll laws.