Guides & analysis

Guides and analysis

Plain-English guides on screening, compliance and cost.

Industry Vertical

Cannabis Industry Background Checks: State Licensing Rules for Dispensaries in 2026

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Compliance

Credit Checks and State Law: When Pulling a Credit Report Is Itself the Violation

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Compliance

How to Build an Employee Background Check Program From Scratch

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Compliance

Individualized Assessment: What the EEOC Actually Requires Before You Reject Someone for a Criminal Record

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Pricing

MVR (Driving Record) Check Cost: What Employers Should Budget For Fleet and Delivery Hires

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Compliance

'Reasonable Time to Dispute': What Courts Actually Mean Before You Finalize a Rejection

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Compliance

The Standalone Disclosure Rule: How One Extra Line Becomes a Six-Figure Lawsuit

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Compliance

Your AI Hiring Tool Might Legally Be a Background Check Company

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Choosing a Provider

Background Check Company Red Flags: 9 Signs You Picked a Bad Provider

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Compliance

Ban the Box and Fair Chance Hiring Laws: A State-by-State Guide for Small Employers

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Compliance

Can I Ask About a Sealed or Expunged Criminal Record?

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Choosing a Provider

Choosing a Background Check Provider: A Framework That Actually Works

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Compliance

Clean Slate Laws and the Records That Shouldn't Be There

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Compliance

Colorado vs. California Background Check Lookback Rules: What's Actually Different

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Compliance

Employment Credit Checks: What They Actually Show, and Where They're Legal

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Compliance

FCRA vs. EEOC: The Two Separate Federal Rulebooks Employers Keep Mixing Up

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Compliance

GINA and Background Checks: What Employers Can Never Ask, Even With Consent

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Compliance

How Far Back Can a Background Check Legally Go Under Federal Law?

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Compliance

How Far Back Do California Background Checks Go? The 7-Year Rule (and the $75,000 Myth)

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Choosing a Provider

How to Choose a Background Check Company: A 6-Point Framework

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Compliance

The CRA Made the Mistake, You Got Sued: Why Vendor Selection Is a Compliance Decision

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Choosing a Provider

What's a Good Dispute Rate for a Background Check Provider? (And Why Almost Nobody Asks)

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Choosing a Provider

10 Questions to Ask a Background Check Company Before You Sign a Contract

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Report Types

5-Panel vs. 10-Panel Drug Tests: What Each One Screens For and Which to Choose

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Compliance

7 Background Check Mistakes First-Time Employers Make (and How to Fix Them)

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Compliance

Am I Allowed to Run a Credit Check on This Candidate?

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Compliance

Am I Allowed to Test for Marijuana Before Hiring?

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Compliance

Can I Ask a Candidate About Their Salary History?

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Compliance

Can I Background Check a Current Employee Being Promoted?

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Compliance

Can I Reject a Candidate Because of an Old Criminal Conviction?

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Compliance

Can I Screen a Candidate Who Lives Outside the U.S.?

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Compliance

Can You Reject a Candidate for Filing Bankruptcy? The Federal Law Employers Get Wrong

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Compliance

Do I Need Consent to Background Check a Contractor or Gig Worker?

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Compliance

Do I Need to Background Check Unpaid Interns or Volunteers?

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Compliance

DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing vs. Non-DOT Testing: What's the Difference

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Report Types

Education Verification and Diploma Mills: How to Catch a Fake Degree in 2026

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Report Types

Employment Verification Checks: What Employers Can and Can't Ask Former Employers

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Choosing a Provider

How to Run Your First Employee Background Check: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small Business Owners

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Choosing a Provider

How to Set Candidate Expectations During a Background Check (With Email Templates)

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Compliance

How to Write a Background Check Policy for a Small Business (Free Template)

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Report Types

Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Checks: Which Jobs Actually Require One

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Choosing a Provider

What Is PBSA Accreditation and Does Your Background Check Provider Need It?

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Compliance

Which States Restrict Credit Checks for Employment?

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Compliance

Am I Allowed to Screen a Candidate Without Telling Them?

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Compliance

Background Check Red Flags: What's Actually Disqualifying vs. What Deserves a Second Look

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Compliance

Can I Background Check a Minor or Teen Employee?

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Compliance

Can I Run a Background Check Before Making a Job Offer?

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Compliance

EEOC Guidance on Criminal Records: Why 'No Felons' Policies Can Violate Title VII

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Compliance

Healthcare Screening Requirements: OIG Exclusion Lists, SAM Checks, and Sanctions Searches Explained

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Report Types

Identity Verification in Background Screening: Why It's the First Check, Not an Afterthought

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Compliance

NYC Fair Chance Act: The Correct Order to Run a Background Check

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Pricing

Per-Report vs. Package Pricing: Which Costs Less for Small Businesses?

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Compliance

Permissible Purpose Under the FCRA: When You're Actually Allowed to Run a Background Check

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Report Types

Sex Offender Registry Checks: What They Cover and What They Miss

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Compliance

Social Media Background Checks: What Employers Legally Can and Cannot Screen For

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Compliance

The Summary of Rights Under the FCRA: What It Is and Why You Can't Skip It

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Compliance

What Is Adverse Action, and How Do I Handle It the First Time? (With Template)

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Compliance

When Can California Employers Ask About Criminal History? The Fair Chance Act's Timing Rule

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Compliance

An Applicant Disputed Their Background Check. Now What? The Employer's Obligations Under FCRA Section 611

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Pricing

Background Check Pricing by Company Size: Budgeting for 5, 50, and 500 Hires a Year

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Compliance

Background Checks for K-12 Schools: Screening Teachers, Coaches, and Volunteers

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Compliance

Can You Start a New Hire Before the Background Check Clears?

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Compliance

Colorado's Job Application Fairness Act: What You Can't Ask Job Applicants

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Report Types

Continuous Criminal Monitoring vs. One-Time Background Checks: Do You Need Ongoing Screening?

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Report Types

Criminal Background Check Turnaround: Why County Courts Are the Real Bottleneck

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Choosing a Provider

DIY Background Checks vs. Hiring a Screening Company: What Small Businesses Actually Risk

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Compliance

Hawaii Background Check Law: The 7-Year and 5-Year Lookback Rule

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Compliance

Illinois Background Checks: The 'Substantial Relationship' Test Explained

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Compliance

Los Angeles Background Checks: The Individualized Assessment Employers Must Document

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Compliance

Massachusetts CORI Law: Background Check Rules Employers Must Follow

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Report Types

Professional License Verification: How to Confirm a Candidate's Credentials Are Real

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Compliance

The FACTA Disposal Rule: How Employers Must Legally Destroy Background Check Records

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Pricing

Volume Discounts and Negotiated Pricing: When to Move Off List-Price Background Checks

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Choosing a Provider

Why Is Your Background Check Taking So Long? 7 Real Causes of Delays

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Choosing a Provider

Background Check Programs for Staffing and Temp Agencies: A 2026 Buyer's Guide

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Compliance

Background Checks for Nonprofits and Volunteer Organizations Working With Vulnerable Populations

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Compliance

Construction Industry Background Checks: Screening for Safety-Sensitive Roles

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Choosing a Provider

Does Your Background Check Provider Need to Integrate With Your ATS?

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Pricing

Free and Cheap Background Checks: What You Actually Get for Under $20

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Choosing a Provider

How to Switch Background Check Providers Without Disrupting Your Hiring Pipeline

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Choosing a Provider

Multi-State and National Employer? What to Look for in a Background Check Provider's Compliance Coverage

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Compliance

Negligent Hiring vs. FCRA Overcorrection: The Legal Tightrope Employers Don't Realize They're On

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Compliance

One Background Check Policy, Fifty States: Why the 'National Standard' Approach Fails

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Report Types

Property Management and Real Estate Background Checks: Screening Staff With Home Access

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Compliance

Rolling Out Background Screening to Hiring Managers

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Pricing

Rush and Expedited Background Checks: What They Cost and When They're Worth It

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Choosing a Provider

SOC 2 and Data Security: What to Ask a Background Check Provider Before Handing Over Candidate Data

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Compliance

What a Background Check Compliance Audit Actually Looks For

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Compliance

What Happens If You Violate the FCRA? Penalties, Statutory Damages, and Class Action Risk

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Pricing

How Much Does a Background Check Cost in 2026? Real Price Ranges by Check Type

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Compliance

Can I Ask About Arrests That Never Led to a Conviction?

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Report Types

Background Check Types: Which Ones Does Your Business Actually Need

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