Background Screening
background screening

Best Practices for Credentialing Employees/ Volunteers

At National Background Investigations, we believe that each company regardless of size or industry should provide a safe environment for all employees, volunteers and clients. That is why we have created a “Best Practices List” which contains the essential searches that should be performed on all candidates regardless of industry or position.

Criminal

We suggest running a criminal search based on applicants address history, statewide where available.

Statewide

A search of the states’ repository or Administrative Office of the Courts. Repository results will provide arrest data from all counties, dispositions may not be included, if the county did not report it to the central agency. Certain state repositories will provide convictions only.

Repository States: AK, FL, GA, IL, IN, ME, MI, MO, MT, NE, OK, SC, TN, TX.

AOC (Administrative Office of the Courts): AL, AR, CO, CT, DE, HI, ID, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MN, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VA, WA, WI.

County Criminal Search

This is one of the most important tools available for uncovering criminal records. All cases filed in the courts are commenced at the county level. County criminal searches go back a minimum of 7 years and include felonies and misdemeanors.

  • Please note, in certain states, county searches are felony only.
  • New York counties will return felonies only.
  • In NJ, you will get indictable offenses and Disorderly Persons offenses.
  • Court fees apply in some counties.

US-SOR Research Tool (Multijurisdictional Database Search)

Hundreds of millions of criminal records including but not limited: Department of Corrections (DOC), Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), County courthouses, Statewide Repositories, possible warrants, arrest data and Sex Offender Registries (SOR) from all 50 states plus Washington DC, Guam and Puerto Rico.

In addition to domestic records this search also includes but is not limited to the Federal Government and abroad: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Office Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), General Services Administration (GSA), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Inspector General (OIG), System for Awards Management (SAM), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Enforcement Actions List, Interpol Fugitives List, Most Wanted List, Debarment Lists, Specially Designated Nationals List, and Health and Human Services.

While some companies sell the “Vigilante Search” separately, National Background Investigations’ US-SOR Research Tool includes all of these searches in one source.

National Sex Offender (www.nsopw.gov)

“The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) is an unprecedented public safety resource that provides the public with access to sex offender data nationwide. NSOPW is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and state, territorial, and tribal governments, working together for the safety of adults and children.”

NSOPW presents the most up-to-date information as provided by each Jurisdiction.

Social Security Trace

Provides applicant’s address history and any aliases associated with the applicant’s social security number. Use this search to verify the addresses the applicant submitted and to determine the jurisdiction in which “real-time” criminal searches are conducted.

International

Criminal Majority of countries are localized criminal searches.

Education Institutions will authenticate diploma/ degree.

Employment Confirms dates of employment and job position.

 

Credit Report

A credit report checks Transunion for credit history and includes information with regard to collections accounts, total indebtedness, current or previous delinquent accounts.

Credit reports are available to the End User only and do not include credit scores.

Tenant Screening

The future is best predicted by observing the past. Make yourself aware of a tenant’s prior residential history and tenancy. A tenant background check provides insight into a tenant’s credit report, employment and payment history as well as length of residency.

Tenant Screening provides public landlord-tenant court records, specific to rental housing payments. Reduce the likelihood of resident skips and evictions by better predicting future rental payment performance. This data can decrease the costs associated with collections, lost rent, vacancy and resident damage.

Court records on file include:

  • Failure to pay rent
  • Unlawful detainers
  • Judgements for possession
  • Judgements for money
  • Writ or warrants for eviction

Prior inquiries in file- verifies previous addresses, identifies use of different names and alerts you to applicants who have applied recently to another property.

Verification

Employment – Draws on previous employers knowledge of applicant during the period of employment specified in the application. However, some employers have specific policies regarding what information they can release.

Education – Verification of institution, dates, major area of study, and degree earned. We suggest verifying the highest degree attained.

References – Important for affirming applicant’s claims of dependability, integrity and character through contact with business and personal references.

Professional Licenses – Useful for verifying professional license and certifications, as well as providing the subjects professional standing with a regulatory body. Based on the information submitted, we contact the necessary licensing agencies, and verify standing, as well as verifying dates and any other information crucial to the license.

Federal

Criminal – Offenses that are violations of federal laws (those enforced by ATF, FBI, DEA, etc) or that occur on federal property are federally prosecuted. Those offenses will be held at the federal district level.

Civil – Federal civil records are searched at an appropriate US District Court. Cases are typically related to interstate commerce, violations of civil rights, issues involving the federal government, financial institutions, etc…

Motor Vehicle Report

Covers driving records in all fifty states. These reports can include records of: driving while intoxicated, revoked license, accidents, and minor traffic violations.

Sanctions Lists

OFAC – Office of Foreign Assets Control

HHS/ OIG – Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General

SAM – System for Award Management

Additional Services

Bankruptcy Filings – A search within the specific federal jurisdiction for records of any bankruptcies. The information returned may include: case or file number, date filed, type of bankruptcy (i.e. Chapter 11, Chapter 7, etc.), discharge date and name(s) listed as petitioner(s).

Canadian Credit Reports

Consent Based Social – This is conducted through the Social Security Administration and will return a MATCH or NO MATCH

County Civil Search – Searches Upper and Lower (where available) civil courts, and may include claims, judgments and suits filed by or against the applicant.

I-9 Verification – This will verify whether the applicant is authorized to work in the United States. ALL EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRED TO VERIFY THE I-9.

Workers Compensation Records – This is a statewide search which may provide the injury description, injury date, filing date, weekly compensation rate, and the compensation time frame when available. Not available in all 50 states.

What if the service I need is not listed?

Contact us at 800.798.0079.