The best employee background check services make it quick and easy to find important information on a potential job candidate or current employee.
If you need to verify an educational background, criminal record, financial irregularities or history of drug use before you hire a candidate, these employee background check tools can uncover everything you need.
That said, getting the data isn’t necessarily easy as it relies on the companies having access to the necessary data and ensuring it’s relevant, correct, and up-to-date. This is made even harder when crossing state borders, not to mention international borders.
These services are dedicated to employee background checks, so you might want to take a look at the best background check services for individuals if you are just checking up on a family member or childhood friend.
We've tested the best employee background check services hands on across the types of checks available, the breadth and accuracy of the results, length of check and value for money across a range of industries including retail, education, healthcare, and more.
We've also featured the best identity theft protection.
The best employee background check services of 2024 in full:
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Data-powered background checks
GoodHire covers areas such as criminal convictions, credit checks, drug screening, and identity verification. It’s also a handy tool for a range of industries with specific data catering to construction, healthcare, retail, and technology.
Where GoodHire differs from other providers is that it stores a lot of data for popular searches, and can provide this through a mobile-friendly platform for customers to carry out their own background checks. The interface is quite easy to understand too.
The advertised dispute rate of 0.03% is pretty astonishing, but it takes time for it to get results (sometimes even a couple of days) which could end up costing your company in lost time.
GoodHire does have some missing support options, such as chat, and online videos, as well as not being NAPBS certified and having a confusing pricing system.
Read our full GoodHire review.
Background checks for large firms and SMBs
One of the largest providers of employee background checks, Sterling covers the main areas of criminal and civil court checks, identity verification, drug and health screening, and workforce monitoring. Like EBI above, Sterling can also conduct searches on a global scale where certain criteria are met. It’s a NAPBS-accredited company and a member of the ASA.
Although the company provides screening for major brands and agencies, Sterling also provides a number of packaged solutions for small businesses in order to make background checking services more accessible and affordable. These small business packages have flat-fee pricing, and cost varying amounts according to the depth and breadth of search required.
However for most clients, a more custom approach to employee background checks will be required, leading to a personalized quote from Sterling.
Sterling does fall flat on it's pricing, which is generally unclear, and can lack the advanced support options provided by its competitors. Also, some criminal records cannot be electronically searched, resulting in a longer search time in some cases.
Read our full Sterling review.
Background checks with human guidance
Yet another NAPBS-accredited provider of compliant background checks for employers, Peopletrail covers the areas of criminal records, identity verification, credit records, drug screening, credentials, and education.
The criminal records check can include felonies and misdemeanors and even traffic offenses as required, at the county, state, and federal levels. Civil court case records can also be included in any search of court databases.
The company is able to provide checks to the specific requirements of different industries, not least construction, education, finance, government, healthcare, and retail. Employee background checks provided can be as targeted or as comprehensive as required, and Peopletrail emphasizes that they provide human guidance to ensure the right areas for information are checked. As ever, pricing varies depending on the sort of result you’re after.
People Trail can be expensive, especially if you are paying per search, and it also lacks a mobile app and some support options.
Read our full People Trail review.
Another competent background check service
Universal Background Screening provides comprehensive employment checks at the county, state, and federal levels, using a combination of government and industry-specific databases. Key checks available include criminal records, employment history, as well as education, and professional accreditation records. Drug testing records, income, and Form I-9 compliance can also be verified.
Inquiries can be made directly through a client portal on the company website, and results are usually provided within two or three days depending on the information required. However, there's also the option for ATS and HRIS integration within your HR department, where supported. A wide number of industry checks are available.
Universal Background Screening is an accredited member of NAPBS which gives it authenticity, and checks are compliant with state and federal legislation, as well as following industry best practices for the protection of employers and clients. Fees vary according to the employee background checks actually required, so will you need to contact Universal Background Screening for a quote according to your needs.
Universal Background Screening is another search service that does not provide clear pricing or a mobile app, and will tack on extra fees for drug tests at outside facilities and with some searches.
Read our full Universal Background Screening review.
Best empoyee background check services FAQs
What is an employee background check service?
An employee background check service helps uncover information about a person’s past, like their education, work experience, and criminal history. With accurate information about a candidate, an employer can filter authentic applications from fraudulent ones.
The best thing about these sorts of checks is that they are simple and easy to do, and there's no public record of who was searching or who was searched, so there is no harm at all in using such services.
The main negative about these background check services is that they do tend to be limited, and if you want more than just names, addresses, and telephone numbers you may find it hard. Businesses looking to verify potential employees will need a more dedicated employee background check service.
How far back does an employee background check go?
Laws and regulations determine how long critical information found on an employee background check is maintained and available to outsiders. These rules vary significantly by industry and jurisdiction. Generally, most employee background check information is retained for up to seven years, including criminal history and credit information. However, the former can be kept for up to a decade in some cases. Employment history and driver records are usually kept for a shorter timeframe, while education details are kept permanently.
How long does an employee background check take?
The time it takes to receive requested employee background check information varies considerably, from a few minutes to several weeks or longer. Basic criminal history, for example, is usually available immediately. However, a deeper dive that might require manual research can take much longer. Meanwhile, you can receive someone's credit history relatively quickly. Education verification can take a few days or longer, depending on the school or university. Driving history can also take a while and depends on the U.S. state. Again, you can expect to wait a few days before obtaining this information.
Paying more for expedited service can shorten the time to receive employee background check information. However, much depends on whether the information is available digitally or requires manual work.
Which employee background check services are the best for me?
No two employee background check services are the same. The one for you will vary on several general factors. For example, some services are better than others in providing extensive employee background checks. Meanwhile, only some provide global employee background check services, which is something to remember when looking for a company. Likewise, some services are better than others when looking for someone's educational background. And yes, some services are cheaper than others, which could be an important factor, depending on your budget.
Why should you run an employee background check?
There are various reasons to run an employee background check on someone. The reasons are usually professional, although that's only sometimes the case. Background checks are most often requested as part of a pre-employment screening. Would-be employers, for example, might want to know whether a candidate has a criminal record or doesn't handle money correctly. Meanwhile, a legal issue might require a background check before a lawsuit is filed. People are increasingly also doing employee background checks before starting a relationship or business arrangement with someone.
Should I pay for an employee background check?
If you’re using it for the most basic purposes, for example finding out who that missed call was from, and you don’t intend to do anything with that information, then absolutely not. If you’re researching your family history and you want to reach out to somebody, then you may want to consider the best background check services for individuals.
Employers will almost certainly have to pay for the service, especially if they want detailed information about criminal charges and so on. Again, if only basic information is required then you may want to handle things internally or use a free service before forking out.
What shows up in an employee background check?
Employee Background checks primarily verify a person's identity and provide the requestor with criminal, financial, and educational details. It can also include credit history, driving records, social media presence, and whether the person has professional licenses and certifications. The exact information provided will vary by the employee background check company.
How to choose the employee best background check services
When selecting the best employee background check service, you'll want to start with defining your needs and the type of background checks you have to perform. Some types of employee background checks include driving records, criminal records, work history, and credit reports.
But if you only need to verify simpler information, like the candidate's degree or social media history, then you could opt to do it internally or through a basic background check service.
You'll then want to evaluate how long the service's checks take to complete. More complex checks may take longer to complete, but to ensure your hiring process isn't delayed, opting for a service that won't take more than a few days is best.
Another aspect to consider is the amount of employee background checks you’ll likely need to conduct. Many services offer set subscriptions, while others also work on a client-by-client basis, so should be able to offer you a tailored plan to meet your organization’s needs. Some offer one-shot reports, which may be preferable if you only envision needing to conduct a checks on the odd occasion.
You’ll also want to take into account the locations across which your checks will be made. If your business operates in various countries and territories, then your checks will need to comply with local laws and regulations. Get in touch with the service before you sign up - which you may have to do regardless - to inform them of your situation and see whether they can offer what you’re after.
The size of your HR department is another relevant factor when choosing the best employee background check service for you. If it is small, then you may want a service that can support you throughout the entire process, by offering the most recent forms and a good customer support line. On the contrary, if your team is large, then you’ll likely want to find a service that makes it easy to add multiple users and accounts, with differing levels of privilege and access.
Customizing your screening procedures based on the job role may also be important to your business, so consider using an employee background check service that allows you to alter your screening parameters easily based on your company policies.
Lastly, look out for the service's ease of use and value for money. Make sure you get a clear idea of what is and what isn’t included, and think carefully whether it aligns with what you really need. Unfortunately, quite a few of the services out there - even the best of them - don’t always display their costs in an upfront manner, so inquire as much as possible before you commit.
How we test the best employee background check services
We've tested the best employee background check services across numerous aspects, like the type of background checks they perform, how long they take to complete checks, and the simplicity of their user interface.
We evaluated whether the services could provide checks for the specific requirements of industries like education, healthcare, retail, and more. We also considered how easy the platforms are to access and how user-friendly their interfaces are, and whether there’s any human guidance and support features.
Finally, checking for information on pricing and hidden fees rounded up our analysis.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
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