Employment Background Checks – FAQ

1. What is a Background Check for Employment?

Background checks for employment purposes can include a variety of reports, including criminal records, driving records, credit reports, degree verification, reference checks & more. See Employment Background Checks for more information.

2. Why is there no credit score on the credit report I received?

Providing a credit score for employment background check purposes is illegal. Employment credit reports will include the following information: applicant’s address, employment information, aliases used, public record information and credit history.

3. Why can Employment Verifications take up to 3 days?

Employment verifications are done via phone calls, fax or e-mail and rely on responses from the current or previous employers. AAACSS employees will continue attempts to contact the employers for at least 3 days.

4. Why do we need the applicant to provide current and previous employment information?

There is no unified data base that contains employment records for a background check company to search, so information can only be verified that was provided by the applicant.

5. If an applicant disclosed that they have a criminal record, why would it not show up on the report?

Because of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that governs what reports can be pulled, only the past 7 years of criminal convictions will be shown.

6. What are the different criminal records available with AAACSS?

• Countywide Criminal – Misdemeanor or Felony convictions within a specific county.
• Statewide Criminal – Criminal convictions within a particular state. (most, but not all counties report to the state databases.
• Nationwide Criminal – An accumulation of criminal conviction records from all states (that report) to a nationwide database.
• Federal Criminal – Criminal convictions from cases that were prosecuted in Federal Court which includes tax evasion cases, fraud, embezzlement, mail fraud as well as wire fraud and others.

7. Can AAA Credit Screening verify an applicant’s salary?

Verifying an applicant’s salary would depend on the specific employer’s disclosure policies. Some companies will release the information over the phone, some will if a signed release was submitted to the employer and others will not release the information at all. For more information on this topic, click on Employment Verification.

8. What information does the applicant need to provide for an employment background check to be run?

The following information is critical to running accurate reports:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Current Address
• Social Security Number
• Signature authorizing background checks to be run

AAACSS provides forms for applicants to complete. When verifying employment, the minimum required information is the company name and phone number. Any additional information is alway useful.

9. What is the process if employers use 3rd party vendors such as Verify Advantage/The Work Number/UConfirm to verify information?

Using 3rd party vendors will incur additional charges. If this is the case, AAA Credit Screening will notify the customer for approval on any additional charges before proceeding with the request.

10. What is Employer Verification? Why is it important?

In a world of uncertainty, it has become common for applicants to misrepresent current or previous employment and verifying employment can provide comfort in the applicant’s truthfulness.

11. If an applicant is self-employed, how is employment verified?

Income check verifications can be run to verify self-employment. This report is gathered from the Internal Revenue Service at an additional charge.

AAA Credit Screening Services now provides Elderly Caregiver Background Checks

Houston, TX – AAA Credit Screening Services has expanded their product offering to include elderly caregiver background checks.  Reports of elderly abuse in the news has highlighted a need for extra precautions when hiring someone to take care of the elderly, not just at facilities, but also in private homes.

While about 1 in 10 Americans aged 60+ have experienced some form of elder abuse, one study concluded that only about 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported to authorities, meaning that over nine percent of the elderly population in America is suffering in silence.

Because many elderly patients either don’t or can’t speak for themselves, facilities and family members have a responsibility to do due diligence when hiring elderly caretakers to help prevent possible abuse.

Potential risks to the elderly include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and financial abuse or exploitation.

Comprehensive background checks on individuals providing elderly care services will give seasoned employers and individual families alike the peace of mind that only the best possible individuals are hired.

Elderly Caregiver background checks include:

• Social security number verification to help confirm the identity of the applicant
• Nationwide criminal record reports including sex offender registry searches
• Address Checks to confirm previous addresses used by the applicant to help determine jurisdictions to run criminal record reports in.
• Countywide criminal record checks
• Drug Screening
• Education verification or Credential Verification
• Employment Verification
• Reference Check
• Medical Service reports such as vaccination verification

AAA Credit Screening Services has provided background checks and credit reports since 1996 and is well versed in the types of background checks needed to fit individual client needs and will customize packages accordingly.  Industry trained staff is standing by 6 days a week to assist with questions.

For more information click on Elderly Caregiver Background Checks