jones also sued his would-be employers, halstead and brown harris stevens, alleging they denied him adequate opportunity to dispute the report, his right under federal law. >> these companies are getting thousands of disputes a year from consumers who are claiming that there's an inaccuracy on their background check. >> reporter: jim francis is one of jones' attorneys, whose firm specializes in cases of botched background checks. >> it's a very, very troubling problem, and one that i don't see abating at any time in the near future. >> reporter: since 9/11, the background screening industry has grown dramatically. today, almost 90% of employers screen their applicants, meaning millions of checks are done every year. the idea is to avoid problems and keep the workplace safe. but critics say the sources some screeners get their information from-- bulk databases or other companies called data brokers-- can be flawed. and the volume and speed at which it's all compiled can mean mistakes are made, jobs lost and reputations ruined. >> what is the cause of it is a business model from the background