Applicant Resources

While filling out the release, please try to be as neat and accurate as possible. You should include any prior names or aliases for the last 10 years. This could include maiden names, married names, nicknames, or any other name changes.

Once your background check has been requested you will receive an email containing a secure link, please follow the link and fill out all your information correctly (DOB, SSN, previous names, address, etc). After you have entered your information, you will be provided your rights and the laws in your state regarding background checks. As you read through these you will be required to electronically sign all consent forms necessary to conduct the background check. If you would like copies of any of these forms you may ask the company that submitted your background check.

All background checks start with a signed written consent authorizing a consumer report. Diligent Data is a Consumer Reporting Agency and will be conducting the background check on the behalf of your future employer’s (or applicable party) request. At the minimum, you will be asked to provide your full legal name, prior names or aliases, SSN, DOB and possibly a driver’s license number. If your employer requires an employment or education verification, you may also be asked to provide this information. If your background check will consist of a reference check, please let your reference(s) know that someone may be calling them. If you know your background check will consist of a credit report, please ensure your credit reports are unlocked and accessible for inquiries. Diligent Data utilizes TransUnion.

Measure One allows prospective employers verify prior employment and education credentials.  An overview if the Measure One process can be downloaded here.  MeasureOne does not access salary information when reviewing pay stubs. It only validates the title and when pay stubs started (when you started the job).  

Fill out the release as best as you can. If you forget some prior addresses, just fill in everything you remember. We will review your address history with an SSN Trace as the first step of your background check to fill in any gaps.

Your SSN is used to run the first step of a background check called the Social Security Number Trace & Address Verification. This is used on a basis on where to look for criminal and/or civil records. Your DOB is used to eliminate or confirm criminal records that are name match only. This helps to eliminate false positive records and provides us with the most accurate results. We take extensive precautions when dealing with your personal information. All information is stored securely and is destroyed when applicable.

In the US, background checks are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA governs Consumer Reporting Agencies, Credit Reporting, and Consumer Protection.

https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act

The FCRA also provides a summary of your rights under the FCRA which is available for you do download directly from the FTC.

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/bcfp_consumer-rights-summary_2018-09.pdf

Most states have state specific Background Check laws that must also be followed.  Examples include New York, California, Washington, and Nevada. Additional information on background checks can be found at our webpage here:

https://diligentdata.com/ebackgroundchecks/screeningresources/

Link to New York’s Correction Law 

Background checks vary from company to company. At the minimum, a SSN Trace is completed first. We then run a national pre-screen and will conduct a criminal record search in the jurisdictions you have lived in for the last seven to ten years. Positions that have fiduciary responsibility could include bankruptcy checks, credit reports, employment, and education verifications. You can read more about our individual services here. The company using Diligent Data should be able to tell you exactly which elements of the background check will be done.

Diligent Data goes as far back as we are allowed to search depending on State and/or Federal Laws. However, as a rule of thumb, most background checks go roughly average 10 years back.

Records are confirmed with a DOB . Very common names (John Smith for example) often include a 3rd identifier. This 3rd Identifier could be an address, photo ID, SSN, etc. If you do have a relative that has the same name as you that has criminal records, you may want to disclose that to your employer to pass along to Diligent Data.

From start to finish, most of our background checks take 3-4 business days or less from when we receive the release and authorization. However, if we are verifying prior employment, it may take longer to get in touch with your prior employer to verify your employment records.

If the record is not sealed, then most likely yes. In New York, if you would like to learn more about how to seal a criminal record you do have, you can contact NYCourts directly at https://www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/criminal/sealedRecords.shtml

The FCRA permits adverse records to be reported for bankruptcy proceedings up to 10 years from the filing date.  You may obtain a copy of the FCRA from the FTC’s website here.

We will try to find confirmation of the closure on our end and ask for additional contacts (prior supervisors for example) if possible. If we are unable to locate anyone and have confirmation the school or employer has closed, we will state our findings and research in our report.

Most employers will only verify dates of employment and title. In some jurisdictions, it may not be legal to ask about salary at a prior place of employment.

In most states, no. Divorces are usually heard in Family Court. Most states do not make Family Court records available to the public by either sealing them or simply not allowing public inspection of the records. In New York, divorce cases are not a public record.

No – Diligent Data Services is a Consumer Reporting Agency. We only relay our results to potential employers. We do not make any decisions or recommendations regarding employment.

Contact the DMV in your state to request a copy of your driving abstract. Most states allow you to mail a form with a nominal fee for a copy. New York allows you to order your own abstract online at https://dmv.ny.gov/dmv-records/get-my-own-driving-record-abstract.

Yes.  Any applicant is entitled to a free copy of their background check. Your employer should be able to provide you a copy. If you would like a copy from Diligent Data, please email us at applicant.support@diligentdata.com.

New York state prohibits the use of eviction data for tenant screening purposes.

Please email us at applicant.support@diligentdata.com or complete the contact form below. Please include as much detail as possible.

Please contact us, we’re happy to assist!