List of Screening Services

A credit bureau database is used to obtain information about the candidate’s residential address history. By inputting the candidate’s SSN, the credit bureau will return all names and addresses which have been reportedly associated with the SSN for the past 7 years. The investigation often identifies names, aliases and addresses not provided by the candidate. This information can then be used to conduct a thorough background investigation.

Civil history records are an important component to consider when conducting a background check. Offenses that are not criminal in nature are often considered in a civil court setting. Involvement as either a plaintiff or defendant in a civil suit will be researched wherever the candidate has been known to reside within the past 7 years. Civil records are maintained at the county level (lower and upper civil court levels) or they are stored at the federal level.

Examples of civil cases:

• Bankruptcy Records • Breach of Contract • Divorce • Domestic Disputes • Lawsuits • Paternity Suits • Real Estate Foreclosures • Restraining Orders • Small Claims Disputes

A TransUnion employment credit report can be a valuable part of a background screening program. It not only reveals how a candidate practices judgment and views obligation, it is indicative of his/her reliability and sense of responsibility. A credit history will list trade accounts, credit limits, balances, payment history, collection accounts, bankruptcies and tax liens. Data Quest fully complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and will only obtain a credit report with a permissible purpose and the candidate’s signed release.

With more than 3,500 individual court jurisdictions in the U.S., obtaining a candidate’s criminal history is a complex task. Data Quest strongly advises running the candidate’s Address History prior to determining the geographic area(s) to search for criminal records.

• County-Level: In-person, on-site, real-time criminal record checks. The scope of each search uncovers felony and misdemeanor criminal actions, pending or disposed, when conducted at both the lower/district/municipal and superior courthouses.
• Statewide: While every state possesses a state repository, due to differing state legislation, some repositories are incomplete or offer limited access. A statewide criminal record search will be made in states where a central repository is accessible, reliable and provides results in a timely manner. State access fees vary and are an additional charge to Data Quest’s search fee.
• Federal: Federal criminal records are different from county and state criminal records. They include crimes and convictions of federal laws such as tax evasion, mail fraud, drug trafficking, immigration law violations and postal offenses. Records are researched through the U.S. District Court in the candidate’s federal jurisdiction for the past 7 years. A federal criminal records search is often a supplement to county and state criminal record checks and is commonly used for employment screening for senior and executive-level positions.

The candidate’s highest level of education (including high school diploma or GED) is verified through the education facility or academic verification clearing house. Information verified includes enrollment period, area of study and degree attained.

The candidate’s employment history, typically for the past 5 years or three most recent employers, is verified and information typically obtained includes employment period, title/position (job function), reason for departure, eligibility for re-hire, etc. Data Quest also seeks to obtain character/work performance references from former supervisors and/or co-workers not listed on the resume and/or application. Initially, Data Quest does not contact present employers unless the candidate specifically gives authorization. It is assumed that the candidate has not informed his/her present employer that he/she is applying for a job elsewhere. Once an employment offer has been extended and accepted, the present employer will be contacted and employment verification results will be submitted in a supplemental report.

Data Quest will submit a written request to the Department of Defense’s Record Maintenance Facility to obtain an official copy of the applicant’s DD214 form and/or contact the veteran’s last duty station.

The candidate’s current driver’s license status, including any citations, license revocations, auto insurance cancellations and cited accidents, is obtained. A driver’s history exposes important character issues because it reveals suspended licenses, failures to appear in court, arrest warrants and drug & alcohol related driving offenses. Records are checked in the state in which the candidate resides. However, it is recommended that the prior state’s driving history be checked if the candidate has been a resident of his/her current state for less than 30 days. When hiring for a driving position, failure to check driving records may result in negligent hiring litigation. This same risk exists if a position requires driving for company errands or business. Whether in a personal or company vehicle, an organization can be held liable for automobile accidents. The Department of Transportation recommends that driving records be validated every 6 months to ensure that no violations have occurred during employment that may place the organization at risk.

Verification of professional license(s) and/or certification(s) is obtained through the appropriate state licensing authorities. Results reveal the validity of the candidate’s professional licenses, date of issue, renewal and expiration dates, current status and any disciplinary action.

Most states maintain a sex offender database to promote public safety through educating and informing the public in order to prevent further victimization.

• Statewide: Individuals convicted of crimes such as sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual conduct, luring or enticing and kidnapping, or who have been found to be repetitive and compulsive by experts and the courts are required to register with their state authorities. Individual state laws dictate specific registration requirements and are based on the date of offense, sentence and/or release from custody and classify convicted sex offenders by risk of re-offense and degree of danger.
• Nationwide: A nationwide search of highest risk registered sex offenders in all 50 United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Individuals convicted of such crimes as sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual conduct, luring or enticing, and kidnapping, or who have been found to be repetitive and compulsive by experts and the courts are required to register with their state authorities. Individual state laws dictate specific registration requirements and are based on the date of offense, sentence and/or release from custody and classify convicted sex offenders by risk of re-offense and degree of danger.

Employers screening candidates’ social media presence has become increasingly popular in the past years. However, it is important that employers use a third-party vendor to conduct these searches to avoid risk. The possibility of a discrimination claim greatly exceeds the cost of a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check provides instances of violent or offensive behavior, racist and discriminatory remarks, unlawful activity, and information that would indicate the applicant was untruthful regarding their education and/or employment qualifications. All Social Media Checks comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and all information is generated from public social media profiles. Candidates’ protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, national or sexual origin are not included in the reports.

A social security number trace checks the validity of the candidate’s SSN through a credit bureau database. If the number is valid, the trace will identify the year and state in which the number was issued. The SSN trace will alert if the number has not been issued, has been filed with a death claim or is associated with any fraudulent activity. The trace also identifies AKA’s and provides up to three past addresses, which help in determining which counties should be researched for a thorough background investigation.

A consent-based social security number verification reveals if an SSN is a match to the candidate’s name, gender and date of birth with the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) database system.

A database search of the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC)/U.S. Department of Treasury which contains names of foreign nationals (individuals and entities) that the U.S. government currently has sanctions against; whose property may be blocked; who is restricted from exporting by the U.S. Department of Commerce; and whom no U.S. person may have dealings with. Individuals on the list include known terrorists and international drug traffickers.