Criminal History checks
Illinois employers are increasingly subjected to costly negligent hiring and retention lawsuits for failing to check an applicant or employee's criminal history. Because criminal history information is a matter of public record, employers are held accountable for checking for the existence of such records. Courts have determined that criminal history checks constitute reasonable due diligence in protecting the public and other workers in the workplace.
With over 1,000,000 incidents of violence occurring in the workplace annually, employees are beginning to recognize the need to protect co-workers and clients. Criminal history records provide critical information as to whether an employee has a documented history of violence or other criminal acts. Additionally, many service industries, such as healthcare and childcare, are being required by law to perform criminal history searches.
Verify offers background check services to Illinois organizations and companies. Verify does not alter or view background information results but only serves as a conduit of information between Illinois organizations and background check data sources such as the Illinois State police. If background check information is utilized in employment decisions, the organization requesting the information from Verify is required to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act and the Illinois Health Care Worker's Criminal Background check Act as well as all federal, state and local statutes, regulations and rules. Employee applicants are entitled to receive a copy of their background check results from their prospective employer. Subscribers must obtain a written consent from an individual prior to requesting a background check. The subject of the investigation has the right to receive a copy of the consumer report, question the accuracy of the information contained therein, and to contact the appropriate reporting body (credit bureau, state department of motor vehicles, etc.) for corrective action. Subscribers must agree to provide a copy of background check results to the subject of the check within seven days.
Verify does not offer services to out of state organizations or companies.
Which criminal searches are available in Verify?
With over 1,000,000 incidents of violence occurring in the workplace annually, employees are beginning to recognize the need to protect co-workers and clients. Criminal history records provide critical information as to whether an employee has a documented history of violence or other criminal acts. Additionally, many service industries, such as healthcare and childcare, are being required by law to perform criminal history searches.
Verify offers background check services to Illinois organizations and companies. Verify does not alter or view background information results but only serves as a conduit of information between Illinois organizations and background check data sources such as the Illinois State police. If background check information is utilized in employment decisions, the organization requesting the information from Verify is required to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act and the Illinois Health Care Worker's Criminal Background check Act as well as all federal, state and local statutes, regulations and rules. Employee applicants are entitled to receive a copy of their background check results from their prospective employer. Subscribers must obtain a written consent from an individual prior to requesting a background check. The subject of the investigation has the right to receive a copy of the consumer report, question the accuracy of the information contained therein, and to contact the appropriate reporting body (credit bureau, state department of motor vehicles, etc.) for corrective action. Subscribers must agree to provide a copy of background check results to the subject of the check within seven days.
Verify does not offer services to out of state organizations or companies.
Which criminal searches are available in Verify?
- State-wide Criminal checks
- County or Circuit Courts
- Federal District Courts
- State crime files are not accessible in every state. Each state criminal authority must rely upon local and county law enforcement and court officials to provide arrest and conviction data to them. Unfortunately, these "local" sources are often under-staffed, under-funded and often do not send the adjudicated case to the State in a timely manner. Statewide crime files very in methods to access information. Many of these methods cause long delays in response.
- County level criminal histories are public record. VERIFY provides access to all 3,187 counties nationwide. These records provide the most accurate and timely information.
- Federal District Court searches identify federal crimes that would not be contained in a state criminal repository or county courthouse.
