How Can I Be Sure I’m Using a Reputable Background Check Company?

Screening employees before hiring them is important work. Failure to screen a candidate thoroughly and accurately can leave your company vulnerable to legal liability and all the negative effects of making a bad hire (i.e. reduced productivity, high turnover costs, and lower organizational morale). 

That’s why choosing a reputable background check company that follows all legal requirements and delivers accurate, thorough, and fast reports is one of the most important decisions you can make in hiring. 

Plus, the internet is full of scams and bad actors looking to solicit private and personal information from people and businesses––and this is true, too, in the world of online background check services. To protect critical company and candidate data, you need a reputable background check company that offers complete data privacy. 

Here’s how to spot one. 

Legal Compliance and Privacy 

The first way to evaluate whether a background check company is reliable is to check that they abide by all guidelines outlined by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

The FCRA promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of consumer reporting agencies. In fact, as an employer, you’re legally required to use a background check company that follows FCRA requirements. Plus, following EEOC guidelines will ensure your company is abiding by the laws in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. 

At S2Verify, for example, our reporting is backed by an adjudication team with criminal justice backgrounds proficient in FCRA and EEOC compliance. 

Additionally, you should also check to make sure that the background check company understands how to comply with the unique state and local laws and regulations in your specific area, such as the California Fair Chance Act, which prevents employers with five or more employees from asking a job candidate about conviction history before making a job offer. Your background check service should be familiar with all applicable laws and regulations to help you avoid expensive non-compliance penalties.  

Check out our Consumer Compliance Center to see how we help our clients navigate state and local laws in their specific regions.  

PBSA Accreditation 

The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) accreditation is a nationally recognized achievement earned by U.S. consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). PBSA accreditation confirms that a background check service complies with all FCRA requirements and recognizes a screening company’s commitment to excellence in information security, legal and compliance, client education, researcher and data standards, verification service standards, and business practices. 

The PBSA accreditation program is governed by a strict and thorough set of professional standards of specified requirements and measurements set by the Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC), making it a great way to identify whether a background check company is reputable or not. 

In 2014, S2Verify was accredited by the PBSA for our excellence in FCRA compliance, and for the accuracy and thoroughness of our employment screening services. 

Accuracy and Thoroughness

Inaccurate background checks can lead to liability and legal issues. Plus, background checks with limited information can lead to bad hires. 

A reputable background check company will have access to the most up-to-date and comprehensive court records from all relevant, federal, state, and local jurisdictions––and will allow you to customize the data that you pull so you’re never paying for more than you need. 

At S2Verify, for example, we offer access to more than 4,100 federal, state, and local government sources with reliable results using a hybrid process that includes both automated record extraction and human oversight. 

Live Customer Support 

The best screening services reinforce their background checks with high-quality customer service so that employers can conduct screening without issue and make hires effectively and efficiently. 

When searching for a reputable background check service, look for a partner that promises integrity, industry experience, innovation, and an unparalleled commitment to their clients at every step of the way—like S2Verify. 

Since 2016, LiveHelpNow, an industry leader in support and call centers, has named S2Verify to their list of superior customer service providers in employment screening. Their rankings are based on data provided daily to client dashboards. Graded against a 12-point system informed by 50 different criteria, “challenge winners are truly the best customer service providers in their field,” said LiveHelpNow in their release of the results. 

Support at S2Verify is not outsourced like most. Our customer support team is headquartered in the U.S. Our agents are trained in-house to ensure our customers get responsive, high-quality service when needed. Plus, we offer comprehensive support articles and resources for self-service help in a pinch.