This is where the FCRA can get tricky, and, like most employers, you are probably wondering how not to run afoul on FCRA compliance.  Luckily, Blueline has you covered throughout the whole screening process (platform-process-data-reporting-disclosures) and across all states and jurisdictions.  As things in the hiring/employment world have been evolving due to Covid, having access to the right technology and compliance platform is critical; especially when everything is moving to remote hiring. By gaining access to a MUCH broader pool of applicants, you need to navigate your expanded hiring pool’s logistic and regulatory landscape.  With compliance baked into the process outlined above (platform-process-data-reporting-disclosures), Blueline has all of your federal, state, and local issues covered.

Check us out and see what you’ve been missing (and get complimentary access to our comprehensive regulatory Wiki).

The post Criminal Background Checks and the FCRA appeared first on Blueline.

This new act is aimed to help those who haven’t committed serious crimes or who have proven good behavior over the past 10 years. Removal of these records will help these individuals when they are in need of housing, jobs, or education.

Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate act is the first of its kind in the nation to automatically seal certain criminal records via technology.

Please note that if you live in or hire those that have lived in the state of Pennsylvania, this new legislation will impact records that you will receive.

If you have any questions regarding the new law, please contact the court directly for additional details or see the bill here online. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us anytime.

The post Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Act Now In Effect appeared first on Blueline.

What does this mean from a background screening perspective?

There are two key details to make note of:

The first major change is that the New York Office of Court Administration (OCA) fees have increased pretty dramatically. The fees for running a New York OCA criminal record search (a.k.a. a statewide search) will increase from $65 to $95.

Any organizations performing this search in New York should account for this rather sizable increase to search fees and adjust accordingly. We wanted to help make sure that our clients were made aware of this impending change as soon as possible. As outlined in the legislation, the intent behind raising the fee is to help increase contributions into the state’s indigent legal services fund. The entirety of the additional $30 will be put towards this defense fund.

The second change is that undisposed cases will no longer be included in criminal history record searches through the NY OCA. Undisposed cases are cases where criminal charges against an individual occurred, but there is no record of a conviction, imposition of any sentence or penalty, or unexecuted warrant of arrest (see full definition here). However, this new provision dealing with unresolved cases will not be implemented for another year.

If you perform background checks in New York and have any questions about how these new changes might affect your current situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Give us a call at 888-919-8378 or email us at backgrounds@blueline-services.com.

The post New York To Drastically Increase OCA Search Fees appeared first on Blueline.

Here at Blueline Services, we want to help make it easy. We want you to understand what should be included in a good background check (and what some companies may try to get you to overlook). We guarantee the most comprehensive and accurate background checks available to help you get the best team working for you and avoid any unfortunate mishaps that could cause detrimental damage to you and your company.

As our National Plus Search is the most powerful and comprehensive multi-jurisdictional search available, it is a prime example of what you should find in a background check. It is virtually instant, provides you with millions of accessible records, and is very cost effective.

What’s included in the National Plus?

Some companies charge more for or don’t include sex offender checks, identity verifications and address histories. But our National Plus Package includes this all at no extra charge.

We include:

Criminal Records:

• Administrative Office of the Courts
• Department of Corrections
• State/County Databases
• Sex Offender
• Global Security Watch
• INTERPOL and many other sources

Identity Verification:

• Address History
• SSN Verification
• DOB Matching
• Birth/Death Indexes
• Alias Search
• Over 300 data sources to help match identity

All of these many different sources and verifications are included to ensure that you get the best most accurate results possible.

The post What’s in a good background check appeared first on Blueline.