University of Wisconsin–Madison
Human Resources

Initiate, View, and Record Misconduct Reference Check (MRC)

Overview

This guide provides instructions to initiate, view and record results for the misconduct reference check (MRC) requirement which is completed using SkillSurvey via the integration with Workday. 

Security Roles

Initiator: Reference Survey Coordinator UW, Primary Recruiter, Recruiter (Local), Recruiting Coordinator (Supervisory), Search Committee Chair UW 

Process Considerations

While multiple security roles can move the candidate into the assessment status, only the Reference Survey Coordinator UW can launch the SkillSurvey Integration. The initiator must have the Reference Survey Coordinator UW role and a user account in SkillSurvey.

   

Initiate and View MRC

Initiate MRC
Step 1:  From the Workday homepage, click Job Requisitions on the left side panel. Select the appropriate Job Requisition and Open Detailed View. 
Step 2:  Click the Candidates tab. 
Step 3:

Select the checkbox for the candidate:

  1. Click Move Forward.
  2. In Move Selected Candidates to Next Stage, select Assessment.
  3. In the second field, select SkillSurvey Check.
  4. Click OK.

A screenshot showing the Move Candidate Forward page. The page shows the Move Selected Candidates to Next Stage as Assessment, and the Move Selected Candidates to Next Step as SkillSurvey Check. The page also shows the selected candidate's name and the Job Requisition number. There is a Cancel and OK button at the bottom of the page.
Step 4: The Reference Survey Coordinator UW will receive a task in their inbox to Assess Candidate or on the Candidate Grid under Awaiting Me, click Assess.
Step 5:

Assess Candidate:

  1. Confirm the Overall Date (today's date).
  2. Set the Overall Status to Pending. Note: When the reference check is complete, the status will automatically update to completed.
  3. Optional: Enter a Comment.
  4. Click the + button in the grid to add an assessment row.
  5. In the Assessment Test field, select the appropriate survey. 
    1. Professional and Misconduct Reference Check: please select the most appropriate survey based on the position. These surveys will ask both professional and the required MRC questions.
      1. To assist with selecting the most appropriate survey, Talent Acquisition has mapped the 100 most commonly recruited SJDs to SkillSurvey surveys via the Survey Selection Tool, found at the bottom of the SkillSurvey webpage. 
    2. Misconduct Reference Check only: select the Misconduct Custom Survey to only ask the required MRC questions.
  6. Do NOT select a status.
  7. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Assess Candidate page. This page shows the Action Required is SkillSurvey Check and the user has selected the Overall Date and the Overall Status of Pending. The user has also selected an Assessment Test of Project Coordinator, v2, which is the survey name. There is a Cancel, Save for Later and Submit buttons at the bottom of the page.

Note: Once you click Submit, the candidate can be moved to other stages of the job application business process without impacting this process.
Step 6: The SkillSurvey integration will launch directly from Workday once you click Submit. The candidate will receive an email to provide contact information for three references. Once the candidate enters the required reference information, SkillSurvey will automatically send an email to each reference to complete the survey. The status of the professional/misconduct check can be monitored on the Candidate Profile, under Screening.
View MRC
Step 1:  From the Workday Home Page, click Job Requisitions.
Step 2:  Select the Job Requisition to view Candidates.
Step 3: Click the candidate's name in the candidate grid to view the Candidate Profile.
Step 4: Click Screening.
Step 5:

Click the Assessments tab to view the SkillSurvey reference check information via the Results URL.

A screenshot showing the Candidate Profile. The profile shows a list of pages and the Screening page is selected. The Screening page shows the Assessment tab for the SkillSurvey integration with Workday. There is a table that shows the title of the survey used, the status, date, and results URL.

Note: The Results URL will only be available once all three references complete the survey. 

Record MRC 

Record Results of Misconduct Reference Checks

Completion of the MRC via the SkillSurvey integration must be recorded in Workday. It is recommended to record the completion of the MRC prior to hire on the Candidate Profile as outlined below. This will ensure the results flow to the Worker Profile.

If the completion of the MRC is not recorded until after the hire is made, please follow the instructions below to Record MRC on Worker Profile - After Hire.      

Record MRC on Candidate Profile - Before Hire
Step 1: 

If the reference check is complete before the candidate is ready to hire, record the results on the Candidate Profile. This can be initiated by the Primary Recruiter. 

From the Workday homepage, click Job Requisitions.
Step 2:  Select the Job Requisition to view Candidates.
Step 3:

Select the checkbox next to the candidate you plan to move forward.

  1. Click Move Forward.
  2. In the Move Selected Candidate to Next Stage, select Background Check.
  3. In the second field, select Misconduct Reference Check (MRC).
  4. Click OK.

A screenshot showing the Move Candidates Forward page. Backround Check is selected for the Move Selected Candidate Forward to Next Stage field, and Misconduct Reference Check (MRC) is selected for the Move Selected Candidates to Next Step field. There is table that shows the Candidat Name and Job Requisition Number, and the Current Step of the recruitment process the selected candidate is in. There is a Cancel button and an OK button at the bottom of the page.
Step 4:

A task will go to the Reference Survey Coordinator UW to record the results of the MRC. 

From the Workday homepage, click My Tasks (inbox icon) in the upper right corner.
Step 5:

Select the Background Check Package task.

  1. In the Name field, select Misconduct Reference Check (MRC).
  2. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Select Background Check Package task. The Name field has the Misconduct Reference Check (MRC) selected. At the bottom of the page, there is a Cancel button, a Save for Later button and a Submit button.
Step 6:

Another task will appear for the Reference Survey Coordinator UW to select background check overall status:

  1. Confirm the Status Date.
  2. In the Status field, select Completed.
  3. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Select Background Check Overall Status page. There is a Status Date field, and Completed is selected for the Status field. At the bottom of the page is a Cancel button and a Submit button.
Record MRC on Worker Profile - After Hire
Step 1: 

If a reference check is complete after the candidate is ready to hire, record the results on the Worker Profile. This must be initiated by the Reference Survey Coordinator UW.

From the Workday homepage, search and select the name of the employee in the search bar.
Step 2: 

Click Actions. Hover over Personal Data and select Start a Background Check.

A screenshot showing the Worker Profile. The Actions button displays various actions categories. The Personal Data category is displayed and the Start Background Check action is highlighted.
Step 3:
  1. In the Name field, select Misconduct Reference Check (MRC).
  2. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Select Background Check Package page. The Name field has the Misconduct Reference Check (MRC) selected. There is a Submit button, a Save for Later button, and a Cancel button at the bottom of the page.
Step 4:

A task will go the Reference Survey Coordinator UW to record the results of the MRC.

From the Workday homepage, click My Tasks (inbox icon) in the upper right hand corner. Select the Background Check Package task.

  1. Confirm the Status Date.
  2. In the Status field, select Completed.
  3. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Select Background Check Overall Status page. The page shows the employee name, the Status Date field, Status, and a Comment field. At the bottom of the page there is a Cancel button and a Submit button.

Personnel File Review (as part of MRC) 

Personnel File Review

As part of the MRC requirement, a personnel file review must also be completed for final candidate(s) who have held an appointment at a UW System Institution in the past seven years.  

Initiate Personnel File Review
Step 1: 

If the final candidate has held an appointment at a UW System Institution in the past seven years, please use the following template to email the Institution's HR Contact or the UW-Madison Division HR contact to review the final candidate's personnel file for misconduct.

Important: The personnel file is NOT being requested at this time. The appropriate HR contact is being asked to review the personnel file for misconduct.

UW System Human Resources Contacts

UW-Madison Division HR MRC Contacts

Subject: Misconduct Reference Check: Personnel File Review Request

Dear (INSTITUTION NAME) HR,

EMPLOYEE NAME (EMPLOYEE ID) has been identified as a final candidate for a position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Per policy requirements, would you please review their personnel file and respond to the following questions:

  1. Was the final candidate ever found to have engaged in any employee misconduct (violations of law, company or university rule or policy, including sexual violence or sexual harassment, or conduct that adversely affected the performance of their job responsibilities)?
  2.  Is the final candidate currently under investigation or left employment during an active investigation in which they were accused of employee misconduct (violations of law, company or university rule or policy, including sexual violence or sexual harassment, or conduct that adversely affected the performance of their job responsibilities)?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. I would appreciate your reply as soon as possible but within 5 business days. 

Sincerely,

HR REPRESENTATIVE NAME
Record Personnel File Review
Step 1: 

From the Workday homepage, click Job Requisitions. Select the Job Requisition and click Open Detailed View.
Step 2:

Click on the Candidates tab.
Step 3:

Select the checkbox for the candidate:

  1. Click Move Forward.
  2. In the Move Selected Candidates to Next Stage field, select Background Check.
  3. In the second field, select P-file Review (Hire). 
  4. Click OK.

A screenshot showing the Move Candidates Forward page. The page shows the Move Selected Candidates to Next Stage field, which should be Background Check. A second field, Move Selected Candidates to Next Step, which is P-file Review (Hire). The candidate name and job requisition number is also displayed. There is a Cancel button and an OK button at the bottom of the page.
Step 4: 

The Primary Recruiter will receive a task in their inbox to Select Background Check Package or on the Candidate Grid under Awaiting Me, click P-file Review (Hire).

  1. Confirm the Name is P-file Review (Hire).
  2. Click Submit.
Step 5:

Another task will appear for the Primary Recruiter to select background check overall status, or on the Candidate Grid under Awaiting Me, click Review.
Step 6:

Select Background Check Overall Status task.

  1. Confirm the Status Date (should be date check was completed).
  2. In the Status field, select Completed.
  3. Optional: Enter a Comment.
  4. Click Submit.

A screenshot showing the Select Background Check Overall Status page. The page shows information related to this task including the Status Date, which should be the date the personnel file review was completed, the Status field, which will need to have Completed selected, and a Comment field, which is optional. There is a Cancel button and a Submit button at the bottom of the page.
Step 7:

The Primary Recruiter will receive a task in their inbox to Make Background Check Decision, or on the Candidate Grid under Awaiting Me, click Review. From here, Move Forward to the next step in the job requisition business process or Decline to disposition the candidate.

Additional Resources

Questions?

Contact Talent Acquisition at uwjobs@wisc.edu.

Updated: Aug. 27, 2025
Source URL: https://hr.wisc.edu/hr-guides/for-hr-professionals/initiate-view-and-record-misconduct-reference-check-mrc/

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