My husband is going to apply for a job with customs, the problem is that he has been divorced and the reason given was cruel and inhuman treatment. Will this be a problem for him? There are no other problems, it was a nasty divorce and obviously she was very bitter. What do they look for when doing the background check?

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The depth of their investigation will depend on you husbands job responsibilities. A janitor or clerk will be investigated less than a Customs Officer.

Customs officers must pass a security clearance investigation that includes interviews of associates. So your husband should be prepared for his divorce information to be discovered. Since ex's are notorious for making slanderous statements, he should have no trouble explaining them. But he should prepare a reasonable explanation in advance and be prepared to present it verbally and in writing.

This is what Customs has to say.
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Security clearance

Customs Officers hold a position of trust and must deal properly with sensitive information at times. As a result, all positions in Customs are security assessed positions and candidates must pass a security clearance before being made an offer of a position.

The security assessment is conducted by Customs in compliance with the Protective Security Manual.

The security assessment includes background checks and you will be required to provide detailed personal information. This may include details of your employment and residence history, financial circumstances, any criminal charges and/or convictions (including traffic offences), any drug use and any overseas travel. You may also be required to provide this kind of information about your spouse, partner or defacto where applicable.

You will also be asked to provide contact details for at least three referees who will be contacted by Customs directly. Your referees will be asked to answer probing questions about your suitability for employment as a Customs Officer.
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The paperwork may include the federal form SF-86 (National Security Questionnaire) and other supporting documents. Your signature on these documents will allow the agency to check your medical history, credit/financial history, military background, police record and other areas of life.

This will be more thorough than typical background checks.
If you want to do your own background check, this article tells "How to Do a Free Background Check"
Source(s):
BackgroundSearch.com
http://backgroundsearch.com