A pre adverse action, is when a prospective candidate is informed or in other words notified about how negative a decision might be made by the employer based on their background report; this is usually used during a hiring process for a new candidate.

This to an extent can be of a disadvantage for prospective employees as in an instance where their background information indicates any past convictions or legal offences, the candidate loses the opportunity to be offered a position which perhaps fits their skills and experience; it is also a disadvantage for the employer, because they could be making the mistake of not hiring a top talent candidate.