In Philadelphia, it's illegal for employers to ask about your criminal background during the job application process. Discover how to conduct background checks in Pennsylvania while staying compliant with state and federal laws in this complete guide.Once hired, you must complete, sign, and submit this form within three (3) days of your hire date. How to Submit an Application. There are two methods of requesting a Pennsylvania Criminal record: Online Request. Here are new instructions for completing the FBI background check and being fingerprinted with the new PA state approved vendor:. Evaluation, drug screening, background and reference checks. They will need to run a background check and that can take time. Pennsylvania background checks often include criminal records searches using the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) online database. It is illegal in Philadelphia for employers to ask about criminal backgrounds during the job application process.