Verification Procedures
Criminal Record Search "Best Practice"
HireSafe uses an applicant's name, address, social security number, and other personal identifiers to consult a variety of sources and provide a complete applicant profile, which is then used to identify applicable jurisdictions to search. Once search criteria are defined, HireSafe's researchers are dispatched to engage their nationwide network of court researchers to directly check the primary source of criminal records in each jurisdiction – courthouses – and use those sources to compile complete criminal history reports.
Using an applicant's identifiers, and depending on the client's needs, a professional background screen includes a search of criminal history information utilizing a combination of both private databases and primary source data, professional credentials, education, motor vehicle records, sex offender registries, employment verification, government watch lists and more.
All of these search results are combined into one comprehensive report for employers, enabling prompt and fair hiring decisions—generally within two to three business days.
Employment and Academic Verification Protocols
The most challenging component of an employment background check is obtaining previous employment verification and to a lesser degree, academic verifications. While most employers respond to our request in a professional and quick time-frame, some don't. Mergers and acquisitions can find that HR records no longer exist.
Frequently some employers and educational institutions have off-loaded their records to third-party providers such as The National Student Clearing House or The Work Number. If an employer or school store their files with either of these providers, they, in turn, charge us a fee to obtain their records. These fees, if any, are directly added to the cost of the search with no additional mark-up from HireSafe.
Verification Protocol Definitions
Verifying Party
- Any person, department, or third-party service whose purpose is to verify official personnel, educational, or licensure records.
Valid Attempt Defined as, but not limited to:
- Any contact with the Verifying Party
- Leaving a message for the Verifying Party
- Awaiting results, requested via fax, email, or Web service, from any third-party verification provider
- A request for release or additional information from Client
- Valid Telephone Number Number provided by the client or a working number retrieved from any of the following sources, including but not limited to:
- An internal Verifying Party Database
- Directory assistance
- Various commercially available databases
- Internet search engines/websites (e.g. Google)
- Secretary of State / State Board of Education Websites
Order On Hold
- Any order, per Client request that remains in progress and not closed per protocol. The work of said orders will cease until the Client releases hold.
How Verification Works / Standard Process
- Following the establishment of Valid Telephone Number:
One Valid Attempt is made each business day with three Valid Attempts being made within a maximum of 72 business hours - Immediately following the third Valid Attempt, additional research is conducted in an effort to obtain an alternate Valid Telephone Number.
- If an alternate Valid Telephone Number is located, additional Valid Attempts will be made using alternate Valid Telephone Number
- If an alternate Valid Telephone Number is not located, 24 hours following a fourth Valid Attempt, by Quality Assurance, order will be closed or placed On Hold
Closing Exceptions
Orders may remain open over the 24 hours following the aforementioned third Valid Attempt if warranted under the following situations:
- On Hold per Client request
- Institution temporarily closed (e.g. holiday school closing)
- ETA of results provided by Verifying Party
- Verifying Party contact is sick/on vacation or has indicated a delay in retrieving results
- Request made by Client
- Conditions beyond our control (e.g. inclement weather; natural disaster)
There are going to be situations that are beyond our control that can cause delays in obtaining the desired results. While we try our very best, we can't force anyone to respond if they choose not to do so.