Background Investigation Unit

Pursuant to Mayoral Executive Order 16, as amended by Mayoral Executive Order 72, DOI conducts background investigations for certain new employee hires, transfers, and promotions. In FY 2024, DOI conducted more than 1,700 background investigations of individuals to be appointed to, employed or promoted to positions in certain categories, including all employees who are members of management pay plan level M4 or higher; all employees appointed or promoted to a non-competitive or provisional position with a salary of $125,000 or more at the time of appointment or promotion, all employees who have authority to enter into financial agreements valued at $10,000 or more; all employees whose regular duties provide them with administrator-level access to digital security systems, computer systems containing confidential information or electronic systems handling negotiable instruments; among other criteria.

Hiring agencies are responsible for identifying what individuals in their agencies require a background investigation; forwarding required paperwork to DOI within 30 days of the appointment, promotion, or transfer; determining whether the position has a NYC residency requirement and ensuring compliance with such requirement, among other responsibilities.

To learn more about the criteria and other requirements regarding DOI’s background process click here.

Instructions to Complete the Questionnaire

The .PDF version of the Background Investigation Questionnaire provides the ability to complete the form using a computer.  It is advisable that when you first open the .PDF document you name and save a copy on your computer and do all your work in that document.  You may complete the form in several sessions and save your entries in the document as you work and also at the end of each session. 

Prior to printing and submitting your finalized questionnaire, review it for accuracy, sign, date and notarize the Certification and Signature page.

PC Users

In order to complete the Background Investigation Questionnaire your computer must have Adobe Reader version 9.0 or greater. If the version on your computer is older than 9.0, you must download the latest version FREE from the link below.  IF YOU DO NOT USE THIS VERSION, YOUR WORK WILL NOT BE SAVED.

Macintosh Users

This document needs to be completed in Adobe Reader version 9.0 or greater if you wish to successfully complete the questionnaire on your Mac.  It may assist you to allow Adobe Reader to be the default .PDF reader on your Mac.

Preview, the default .PDF reader on a Mac, will NOT save and process this form correctly. IF YOU DO NOT USE ADOBE READER 9.0 OR GREATER, YOUR WORK WILL NOT BE SAVED.  Additionally, please take care not to open and save a half completed questionnaire in Preview after having worked with it in Adobe Reader.  You will lose the information you entered into the document and will have to complete it again.

Background Investigation Questionnaire
Financial Background Investigation Questionnaire

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