Frequently Asked Questions

Any business hiring new employees or any business that performs post-hire periodic background checks should use Providence Screening’s services. Background checks, including drug screening, are recommended for all employers to promote workplace safety and protect your clients and the general public. In addition, schools, churches, and youth organizations may conduct background checks on volunteers to protect children and other vulnerable populations. At Providence Screening we provide thorough background screening services.

Providence Screening prides itself on fast turnaround times for criminal background checks. Depending on the search type, turnaround times vary from immediate to several business days and in some instances, it could be a week or two. Factors influencing turnaround times include the State or County where we are searching, how many jurisdictions are involved, and if a record must be retrieved from statewide archives or whether county or statewide systems are down. Rest assured; we realize that our clients require fast turnaround times and therefore, we focus our resources to make sure that we minimize turnaround times.

All new clients will receive our Welcome Email which will include among other pertinent information, a Providence Screening Service Agreement, which must be completed and a sample Consent Form, which must be signed by all applicants prior to running a background search.

The first step is to complete a Service Agreement. Once a service agreement has been completed, your account will be active in 12-24 hours.

As soon as your account has been approved and you have received a user ID and temporary password you can log in anytime (24/7) to submit requests.

Providence Screening has several options for its fast, accurate, and compliant employment background checks.

Use our Web-based secure Client Portal with unique login credentials for each of your users. Your users will input the applicant’s required information online in our secure portal and the searches will run automatically. You will also be able to check the status of the results via the secure online Client Portal as they come back.

• Within the secure online Client Portal, you may use our Applicant Management System (AMS) tool where you will have the ability to send an email to the applicant who will input their own information into the system and the searches will immediately start running in the background. This saves your team the time and effort spent entering data.
• Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Integration: Our state-of-the-art system can integrate directly into 35+ leading ATS systems and background searches can be initiated within your ATS.
• Providence Screening can do the data entry on your behalf and post the search results to your Secure Client Portal

No, you can order a la-carte or Providence Screening will be happy to work with you in setting up an appropriate Package. Alternatively, you can order your usual Package and expand the search with an a la-carte order when necessary. In terms of Packages, most of our clients ask for at least the following: a county and statewide criminal records search, a social trace, and a national criminal database check plus a motor vehicle record (MVR) check if the applicant will be driving as part of their responsibilities. However, every industry is somewhat different and may have unique requirements therefore, we do recommend that you speak with your legal team before deciding on the Package you will require

Our secure online Client Portal will allow you to view not only the completed background report but also allow you to see the status of any and all current searches. You will also always have the history of all previous background checks stored in the Client Portal. Our system can also be configured to send you an email alerting you to results as they come in or when the report is complete.

Yes, as required by the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and certain state laws, the employer must obtain written consent. In your Welcome Email, we will provide you with a sample form of Consent. Prior to you submitting a background search via our Client Portal, our system will prompt you to upload the signed Consent

No, the Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) prohibits a CRA from advising or influencing an employer’s hiring decisions. CRAs can only provide their clients with the facts about the applicant’s history. A CRA is strictly prohibited from answering general legal questions or advising employers on which grounds they might reject a candidate. Should legal questions arise during the hiring process, it is always best to consult an attorney.

Searches vary in cost, and some may have additional costs in terms of mandatory court fees or other fees imposed by various state agencies. Providence Screening is very cost-competitive, and we further discount our prices based on the volume of searches. At the appropriate time, we would be more than happy to provide you with a competitive fee proposal.

Providence Screening accepts checks, ACH, and credit card payments. Payments can be made at the time of the search or billed to the client on a bi-monthly or monthly basis.

Yes. We do not sell or transfer the personal information that is provided by our clients to any party that is not involved in the background check process.