I once worked for a company that did one. I think it is actually a good idea for a company to do background checks on all their new hires. A background check is similar to calling a person’s references on a resume. Basically a company normally outsources background checks to a reputable company. This company then goes through a checklist of items. Most of the time this checklist consists of running your name in a database which pulls from several places, such as credit agencies. It really is a no brainer. All a background check does is verify information that already exists. You have nothing to worry about most of the time - assuming you have been honest.