Frequently asked questions
What are the costs of your services?
There is no cost to establish a background and/or drug screening account and no minimums required. We are very competitive as reports vary in price. We like to have a conversation regarding the reports of interest and then provide costs based on your specific needs.
What is the most common background check?
Generally, a company is wanting to know if their candidate has a criminal record of any kind. At a minimum, most companies run a Social Security Trace (SSN) as a guide and then generate a County Criminal Check in any counties lived for the past 7 years. This will allow you to focus on the areas the candidate has come from, which could be multiple states. If for example, you run a Statewide only and your candidate has only lived in your state for 6 months, you are limiting your data dramatically and not doing due diligence.
You can add to your “core” criminal check based on needs. For example, run a Motor Vehicle Report if they have driving responsibilities etc.
Is a Statewide the best report?
Many states do not offer a State report, and many of the states that do, are not all inclusive. Not every county reports to the state level, which can leave voids. It’s best to speak with one of our sales team to see what might be the best practice in your geographical location based on your business needs and requirements.
Can I just run a National Criminal Check that takes care of everything?
This is a common misconception. The short answer is NO, as it’s not admissible in court. A National Criminal report includes an instant multi-state search of criminal records. This search accesses over 400 databases and 200 million files containing criminal records from participating:
- State Repositories and Archives
- Administrative Office of the Court Records
- Department of Corrections (DOC) Files
- County Court Houses
- Sex-Offender Registries
- Traffic violations and infractions involving warrants
Per the FCRA, when using reports for employment permissible purposes, this search is only used as a locator search to provide locations of possible records and not the actual case information (must be verified). This report is designed to “enhance” your core criminal check and should not be the sole source of criminal information as some states may not report at all.
Will a Federal Criminal report give me all the criminal info I need on a candidate?
A Federal Criminal reports the records of crimes committed against Federal criminal laws only. This information is not included in a county or statewide record, (i.e. bank robbery, interstate theft, kidnapping, etc.). This report is relevant for screening management and executive candidates for white-collar crimes and typically would not be used for entry-level workforce unless required.
The term Federal is perceived to include everything across the nation, when in fact, each State is divided into Federal Districts and based on the zip code of your candidate, you are receiving just a portion of a given states Federal records.
Is it hard to use your system?
If you have access to the Internet, ClearHire's EZyCHECK system allows you to order background checks / drug tests quickly and with ease. It’s extremely straight forward and we provide training to help you get started. We’ve tried to eliminate key strokes where possible to save you time. Training is available upon request.
Are your reports easy to read?
ClearHire has quality assurance procedures in place to edit each report to ensure that the language is understandable to the user. We follow the EEOC recommendations to be sure that a criminal record is only reported once within the background screening report so as not to confuse the end user with a lengthy report that may paint the applicant in a negative light.
How far back should I look for a background check?
The industry standard is 7 years and some companies may require 10 years, depending on the type of business. We recommend focusing your search in areas the candidate has lived or worked for the past 7 years. As a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), we are required to adhere to State and Federal guidelines.
Why are some states more expensive to search somebody than others?
Some states, like New York, are more expensive to run a Statewide Criminal Search than say Rhode Island. Pricing fluctuates by state, as the state sets the access fees, not the CRA’s. The same thing applies to the Motor Vehicle Report, where the individual state sets the fee.
Does ClearHire require commitment contracts?
No. Our Service Agreement does not lock you into a time frame or exclusivity with ClearHire. By not tying a person down to a binding contract, we’ve made it easier for people to experience our service and the high quality of our product.
Do we require our clients to run a certain number of reports at a given time or within a year?
Absolutely not, we require no monthly minimums and are here for you whenever you need us. It’s that simple!
Are there packages or special deals that we offer?
While we do offer three (3) "Self Service Screening" packages for clients needing a single Background check, we can bundle certain products and create packages around your needs. These packages may be eligible for discounts if the client is ordering multiple reports and doing high volume. For more information or see if you would qualify for a bundled rate please contact us at info@clearhireme.com
When do we pay for the background checks?
Payment is due at time of service unless otherwise specified .