Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why doesn't NBIC provide 'instant' online screening as is seen with 'those other services'?
Q. What about nationwide records checks?
Q. What are the legal requirements we face when using a third party to check out our applicants?
Q. When we submit a request,
how long will it take to get a response?
Q. Are your services confidential?
Q. Why can't we do this ourselves?
Q. Why doesn't NBIC provide 'instant' online screening as is seen with 'those other services'?
The answer is simple! We don't believe it can be done accurately for employment purposes!
You deserve, and
the law requires, that you receive the most accurate and up to date information
available. While the reports we provide can be delivered over the
internet, the idea of 'instant' screening is another matter. Many other services use 'various databases' and 'compiled
lists' to provide screening results. What this means is that they
periodically obtain information from a number of sources (newspapers, purchased
databases of unverified information, etc.) to compile a local database of
records. The problem here is that they do not PERSONALLY verify the
information they are providing to you at the time the provide it! If their
database is 30 days old and your applicant was arraigned in court
yesterday for a felony... YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IT!
Compiled 'lists' of records may not be
updated for weeks or months at a time, meaning you get outdated information.
By relying on such information, you run the risk of a denied applicant creating
problems or filing suit
against you under the provisions of the FCRA or filing a complaint with any
number of federal or state agencies that could undertake actions against you.
You deserve better.
At NBIC, we check each case individually.
We access real time, current court records, state driving records and other official sources for
each and every applicant we screen. This means you get the most current
information that is readily available. Because of the requirements of the
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), we make every effort to verify all information before submitting it
to you. The last thing you need to do is deny someone based on a record
that does not pertain to them or that is not up to date. That can be frustrating for the applicant
and embarrassing (or costly) for you. For these reasons, we complete each report individually
and provide you with our findings.
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Q. What about nationwide records checks?
Glad you asked! We want a one stop shop
for criminal records as badly as anyone. The simple fact is, there is no
national repository for these records that can be reviewed by private citizens
or companies. While the Federal Bureau of Investigation operates the
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) which does contain a vast database of
criminal record information, it is not available to anyone outside a law
enforcement agency. Both federal and state laws prohibit law enforcement
officials from accessing this data without an official reason.
Some people have come to rely on a 'friendly
police officer' to obtain information from official sources. You should
know that any law enforcement officer who does so, may be subject to federal
and/or state criminal charges! The employer or landlord who uses such
sources may also be subject to civil or criminal actions. Trying to get
around the legal system is not a good idea! Those who do use such means to
check out employees are asking for serious legal problems and maybe even time in
jail.
So, we are left with open state
level repositories, several thousand county level court systems, more than two
dozen federal court systems and other government agencies too numerous to list!
To effectively check for a criminal record, we must look directly to the
official sources who maintain the records. The availability of such
sources changes constantly. It's a lot of work! And it's work most
employers are not prepared to do themselves.
Yet it's not something that should never be overlooked. That's why we're here!
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Q. What are the legal
requirements we face when using a third party to check out our applicants?
Very simply, you must have & certify a valid
business purpose for conducting the inquiry (such as screening for employment
purposes), and you must have obtained a release as required by the Fair Credit
Reporting Act (which covers more than just credit reports). There are also
requirements if you base a decision not to hire in part on anything contained in
a consumer report. At NBIC,
we provide assistance to help you be sure you're in compliance. We provide our clients with
the necessary release & notice forms free of charge! Our clients
simply copy these forms as needed. Prior to using our services, our
clients must agree to comply with the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting
Act and must certify their approved business use of the information we will be
providing.
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Q. If we submit a check request,
how long will it take to get a response?
Ultimately, that depends on what information
is being requested. For local driver's records, sex predator checks and
many local felony criminal records, the reports can often be returned in one
business day. For other checks the time frames vary. As a rule of
thumb, most background checks we conduct are completed and returned to our
clients within 1 to 2 business days.
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Q. Are your services
confidential?
Yes. Other than as
required by law or a court order, we will not divulge information about you or
any work done for you to anyone. You can review our complete Privacy Policy here.
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Q. Why can't we do this
ourselves?
The good news is, you could...
but as with some good news, there is usually some bad news. The same
applies here. Unfortunately, it can be costly, time consuming and
frustrating to do do these checks yourself. There are over 5000 state
level felony courts in the United States. Every court and every other
government agency that maintains records have different request & release procedures.
In some areas, there may be more than one court or agency that must be
checked to ensure adequate geographic coverage for the check being conducted.
How can you know for sure? Simple! Rely on NBIC who's job it is to stay on
top of available sources and means of properly accessing critical records.
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