Universal Background Screening review

Universal Background Screening, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, operates as a licensed private investigation firm in accordance with state laws. They even provide their license on their website. The company offers a variety of services, starting with employment background checks, and also includes employment physical exams, general physical exams, income verification, and compliance management solutions. Although Universal Background Screening is entirely based in the United States, it offers its services worldwide, covering approximately 200 countries—from Albania to Zimbabwe.

Plans and pricing

Determining the exact pricing for Universal Background Screening can be challenging, as their cost structure is often customized to meet each client’s unique requirements. The pricing for background screening services typically varies due to several key factors influencing the overall scope and complexity of the checks performed.

Depth of the Search: The level of detail in the background check plays a significant role in pricing. For instance, an essential check might include a simple criminal history report, while a more comprehensive search could involve multi-state criminal checks, credit reports, and education verification. The greater the depth of the search, the higher the cost is likely to be.

Types of Checks Conducted: Background screening can encompass a wide range of checks beyond criminal history. Depending on the client’s needs, this could include employment verification, reference checks, drug testing, and social media analysis. Each type of check has its associated costs, which can vary significantly.

Volume of Checks Requested: The number of background checks requested can also impact pricing. Many companies offer bulk pricing discounts for clients requiring multiple checks, which can lead to cost savings for larger organizations or industries with high turnover rates.

Custom Quotes: Given the variability of these factors, Universal Background Screening, like many other companies in the industry, typically provides custom quotes tailored to each client's specific needs. This ensures clients pay for what they require rather than a one-size-fits-all package.

To obtain accurate and detailed pricing information, it’s generally necessary to contact Universal Background Screening directly. Their team can assess your needs and provide a tailored solution for your budget. It's also worth noting that, generally speaking, the costs associated with background check services fluctuate based on the depth and breadth of the checks requested, making it essential to discuss your requirements upfront.

How it works

After you contact Universal Background Screening using the Contact Form, a staff member will create a customized screening program tailored to your specific needs. To develop this program, Universal will consider the specific liabilities related to your industry to determine which screening services are necessary.

Once you and Universal have agreed on the relevant checks and you have subscribed to their services, you'll be able to order background checks whenever you are ready to hire.

Because Universal operates a paperless system and is HR-XML certified, you can place a new order with just one click from within your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) of choice. Alternatively, you can enter a candidate’s details through a portal on Universal’s website.

Features

Universal Background Screening offers a number of services to its clients. One shortcoming is that there are no smartphone apps for Universal Background Screening.

Criminal Record Searches from the cornerstone of the offerings. The most local one is on the county level, the so-called County Court Criminal Record Search. It covers a minimum of 7 years, and encompasses court convictions for both felonies and misdemeanors. It gets conducted on-site at the local court house, with a turnaround time of within 2 days in 97% of cases. When a conviction gets identified, it includes the relevant case number, and the other details of the case such as any prison time or fines that the court ordered, and how the applicant was identified.

Expanding the search takes us to the Statewide Criminal Search that is offered, and covers 42 states. The results vary by the state, but often include the offense, court document number, and other relevant details should a conviction be found. In some cases there is an additional charge for this search, depending on the state, from a low of zero dollars in Alabama, to a high of New York that imposes a $95 search fee.

These county and state searches often get directed based upon the addresses that the individual has lived at, both currently and previously. Sometimes, the approach needs to be more widespread, such as with an individual without accurate prior address info. Universal Background Screening has this covered as well, starting with the USA CriminalSearch, which covers “Criminal history data from statewide court repositories from 22 states and Department of Corrections records from 45 states.” This reportedly covers 94% of the US population. The search can even be expanded further with a USA OffenderSearch that covers a nationwide sex offender registry. Finally, there is USA SecuritySearch, a national security database and antiterrorism database with fourteen sources.

Another differentiation point of Universal Background Screening is that this is verified information. This means that it is not merely the results of a search of a database, which can often be inaccurate due to unconfirmed hits, particularly with a common name. Rather, these searches are a curated result, with confirmed hits that can be trusted, and “Fully compliant with Section 613 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).”

Beyond criminal background checks, there are also additional services available. First is the search of motor vehicle driving records, which captures data going back 36 months, and includes traffic violations, and license suspensions. Then there is the Employment Credit Report, that is tailored for employment purposes. It is a PEER (Pre-Employment Evaluation Report) from TransUnion, and gives a complete credit history to identify applicants that are potentially overextended, or not financially stable. It does not include account numbers, nor adversely affect the applicant’s credit score. Finally, there is drug testing, through a network of over 8,000 sites at SAMHSA-certified labs, that even can meet the stringent Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements.

Support

We can sum up that options for support with Universal Background Screening are direct, but not excessively plentiful. There is a postal address, but it is doubtful how many want to receive their support that way in our modern connected times. There are also direct phone numbers, with extra kudos for being toll free, and dedicated for service, but most folks don’t really pay for long distance these days anyway. We also found a fax number, and a direct email address. The final option we found was a support portal, where you enter the required fields, and you can essentially send a message for contact, although we would criticize the shortcoming that there is no option to include an attachment, which can be useful to send a marked up screenshot to detail the difficulty encountered.

In terms of the more advanced options, there really are not any to be found. We did not find a chat box, whether live nor an automated chatbot. Nor are there any self-serve options such as a FAQ, predone articles, webinars or a community forum.

The competition

Although Universal Background Screening is our top choice for the best employee background check service, it isn’t a great option if you need to order a low volume of screenings quickly. GoodHire is a service that offers pre-made screening packages and which may be worth checking out if you don’t want to waste time setting up a customized screening system, as you have to with Universal.

Sterling is another background check provider that sells custom solutions for clients in certain industries. Depending on your sector, you may find that Sterling has services that fit better with your specific sector than Universal’s screenings do.

Final verdict

Universal Background Screening is a significant contender in the candidate search market, particularly regarding pre-employment screening. The company's extensive search options offer employers a comprehensive approach to vetting potential hires. These searches encompass criminal background checks, employment verifications, education confirmations, and reference checks, providing a well-rounded view of a candidate's qualifications and background.

In addition to its search capabilities, Universal Background Screening offers ancillary drug screening services, which can be vital for organizations looking to maintain a safe and compliant workplace. Their customer support is also commendable, providing direct assistance to clients navigating the screening process.

However, there are notable areas for improvement. The absence of dedicated smartphone applications limits accessibility and convenience for users who prefer managing their screenings on mobile devices. Furthermore, the pricing structure can be opaque; potential clients often face frustration due to hidden fees associated with specific searches and the use of out-of-network centers for lab testing. This lack of pricing transparency can lead to unexpected costs that complicate organizational budgeting.

Despite these concerns, Universal Background Screening remains a solid option for organizations seeking thorough pre-employment screening solutions. Its comprehensive service offerings and customer support make it worth considering, particularly for companies that prioritize a meticulous hiring process. Continual technological improvements and pricing clarity could further enhance its standing in the competitive landscape of background screening services.

We've also highlighted the best background check services for individuals.