What Shows Up On A Background Check For Contractors?

Background Screening | January 21, 2022

Is your organization conducting background checks on contractors and vendors? You should be. Here’s what shows up on a background check that can help you protect your customers and avoid operational, legal, and reputational risks. 

Contractor background check programs are designed to keep work environments safe and reduce risks. Our contractor background screening program at PlusOne Solutions leaves no stone unturned. We use a variety of national and local databases as well as primary record sources to ensure that our searches are comprehensive and thorough. 

What shows up on a background check is a critical part of the decision-making process when choosing a contractor or vendor to represent your organization. In this blog, we will share a small snapshot of what appears on reports, and what you can do with that information. 

What Shows Up On A Background Check For Contractors?

Criminal History

The criminal history that can appear on a contractor background check may include felony and misdemeanor convictions, pending criminal cases, and any history of time that is spent incarcerated as an adult. Any activity that occurred that did not result in a conviction, such as an arrest with no conviction, will not be included in screening results. 

At PlusOne Solutions, we can customize background checks to the specific needs of your organization, but our most commonly requested package includes the following components when searching for criminal history:

• U.S. County Criminal search
• U.S. Federal Criminal Court Search
• U.S. National Database search
• Canada Provincial Criminal Record search

Motor Vehicle Reports

During the background screening process, we will compile the subject’s name, driver’s license number, and state of issue, allowing us to search Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) records for driving status and history. 

If your contractors and vendors will be driving vehicles owned by your organization and representing your company to your customers, it is important to exercise due diligence and avoid an increased risk of your vehicle being involved in an accident. 

A Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) will show the class of license held by the contractor, the citation history, accident history, suspension information, license restrictions, and the current status of the driver’s license.

Sex Offender Registry

If your organization includes a National Sex Offender Registry search as a part of your background screening program, the report will show if the individual is listed on the registry, and depending on when the offense occurred, the specific offense will be included as well.

Since some states limit the number of years that a criminal history check can go back, if the offense occurred beyond the regulated reporting period then the report will only show whether or not the individual is listed on the registry, not what their offense was. 

What Are The Next Steps?

Potentially adverse information on a background check can create questions that your organization will need to answer – should you work with these contractors and vendors after seeing the results of their background screening?

At PlusOne Solutions, we always advocate for an individualized approach to these results instead of formulating blanket policies. It’s important to give opportunities for individuals to review, dispute, and potentially correct the information about themselves before any final decisions are made, especially when those results can have an adverse impact. 

What Shows Up On A Background Check? Find Out With PlusOne Solutions

PlusOne Solutions specializes in compliance programs that meet the needs of geographically dispersed contractors, vendors, and employee networks. To learn more about how we can help your organization, contact us today.

Contents are provided for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Users are reminded to seek legal counsel with respect to their obligations and use of PlusOne Solutions services. 

About PlusOne Solutions

PlusOne Solutions has been an industry leader in the risk management field by specializing in compliance programs that meet the complex challenges of geographically dispersed contractors, vendors, and employee networks. PlusOne Solutions protects companies from possible financial, legal, and reputational risks associated with contractor and vendor relationships while creating safer work environments. To learn more, visit https://www.PlusOneSolutions.net.