Protect Yourself!

The basic background check package from NannyVerify.com has two components:

• SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TRACE: Verify SSN and current address. This is also used to determine a candidate’s previous residence(s), and any other names or aliases associated with that SSN for the past 7 years. Vital to determine if additional names or jurisdictions need to be checked. » More Information
• IN-COURT COUNTY CRIMINAL RECORDS SEARCH: The in-court criminal records search is used to determine if the individual has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in a given jurisdiction within the past 7 years. The criminal court records check will be made in the county specified by the client.

You must search all names in all jurisdictions to conduct a thorough nanny or senior caregiver criminal background search.

Background checks are provided by a third party, National Crime Search, Inc., an Arkansas-based corporation with a national background screening network. We offer background checks on US citizens, permanent residents and non-citizens possessing a valid Social Security Number (B, H and G visa holders for example), and Canadian citizens and permanent residents with valid Social Insurance Numbers (SIN). NCS is happy to answer your questions – phone 888-527-3282 during business hours.

If you are an individual (NOT a business) ordering pre-employment screening for a nanny, housekeeper, homecare worker, etc. that you will privately employ (YOU are paying the employee directly) you would choose Sole Proprietor as business type, and describe business activities as “I am a household employer.”

The basic single county criminal check is a good starting point for nanny screening. Most families find, however, that the history of the individual caregiver applicant and the nature of the job necessitates adding different searches to be thorough.

At a minimum, all names and all addresses that were found by the SSN trace should have in-court county level records checked. Criminal records are only found when BOTH the name searched and the DOB match exactly.

It is very common for the more mature candidates to have the possibility of records under different names as a result of marriage and/or divorce. Families often learn information in the basic check that causes them to expand the initial search. Items may be added for up to 30 days beyond the initial search.

We recommend two ‘broad net’ tools that can help a family expand their screenings without spending a fortune. These are the National Sex Offenders Registry search and the the National Criminal Records Locator. These searches are strongly encouraged.

We also recommend a motor vehicle records search be run even if you do not plan to have the nanny drive your children or have the caregiver drive your aging loved one to appointments and activities. Information on the MVR can speak to the candidate’s judgment (DUI or excessive speed), responsibility and attention to detail.

Reference checking should never be overlooked. Every candidate should be able to provide you with a minimum of 3 non-related references. References who have observed the candidate in a childcare ore senior care setting are preferred. Character references, however, may be the only real references the younger candidate has.

Civil Court Records Searches are available as an optional add-on to the criminal records search. These can take several additional days to complete.

Please see our resource dedicated to this question.

We strongly encourage families to order the national sex offender search. This option has been considerably improved in recent years as a result of legislation. The economical National Sexual Offender Registry (NSOR) search is recommended as part of any childcare or eldercare background screening to reduce the risk of hiring someone with a prior history of sex offenses. The NSOR accesses public information from each state, using real-time access to each state registry. The NSOR search provides a comprehensive, nationwide alternative to a single state sex offender search.

The national sex offender registry search relies on records aggregated by the U.S. Department of Justice. It provides a comprehensive search that includes offenders in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. The NSOR accesses real-time records from each jurisdiction’s public registries. Offenses requiring registration are governed by state law. Information reported includes available records for the maximum period allowed under applicable law. The link below details the information included by state.

Information reported varies by state, but typically includes:

• The full name of the offender
• A classification of the offense
• The last know address of the offender.

All information found during the course of the search is reported.

Driving records are very important, and they reveal more than just how well the nanny or senior caregiver drives. A driving record can speak to the candidate’s judgment, attention to detail, and conformity to rules. DUI’s and speeding tickets will generally give a family pause

Many states have moved to protect the confidentiality of these records in recent years. As a consequence, third party requests for driving records are not available in all states and some states limit the detail provided to third parties. NannyVerify allows families to order a driving records report, where available, at additional costs. If the state requires additional paperwork (authorization to release data from the candidate) you will be notified directly by the search firm, National Crime Search, Inc.

Most motor vehicle reports (MVR) take 2 – 6 hours. Pennsylvania MVRs are the only exception, and they take 10 business days.

Civil suits are filed when a plaintiff believes they are due restitution or compensation for a wrong done by a defendant (the applicant being screened). Civil searches are conducted at the upper level court in each jurisdiction requested. Although a civil search will cover law suits filed for damages, bankruptcy, personal injury etc. where a plaintiff (or at least their lawyer) feels a defendant has violated a civil law or code and seek compensation by legal means, National Crime Search Inc. can only report the information when the applicant is the defendant.

• Set up your background screening account by clicking on National Sex Offenders Registry
• Download the Candidate Records Release Authorization form and have your applicant complete it for you. This is a legal requirement of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). NCS does ask that you keep this signed release on file for 5 years for audit purposes.
• Select the items you wish to have searched. The minimum package includes a SSN trace/address verification plus a criminal records search in one jurisdiction.
• A typical search is returned within 3 business days – you are notified via email. You will log in to view the completed report. Canadian searches and civil records searches will require additional time.

Pre-employment background searches are not available on candidates outside the US and Canada. We regret that we cannot provide this information for citizens of other countries. The quality of archived criminal records abroad is highly variable, and the search tools in general to not rise to US standards.

YES! The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that a potential employer obtain a signed release from a candidate prior to ordering the pre-employment search. You must agree that you understand and are adhering to this law when you submit your order. We ask that you keep the signed authorization form on file for 5 years – legally it must be available for audit. You can download an authorization form for the applicant’s signature.

You are responsible to adhere to all applicable regulations governing these searches, including those imposed by the» Fair Credit Reporting Act, and to provide the candidate with the » Summary of Rights when a pre-employment background check is ordered. You are required to explicitly acknowledge that you understand and agree to adhere to these obligations when your order is placed.

An Adverse Action Letter, Summary of Rights and a copy of the applicable report generated must be provided to applicant if your decision not to hire was in whole, or in part due to information you received from the NannyVerify background check.

An alias or AKA (also known as) is any name that has been used by the candidate in the past.

Life events such as marriage and divorce result in many candidates with records associated with more than one name. It is possible that criminal records could exist under any prior name. The SSN trace will generally pick up known aliases as it is compiled from credit bureau files. It is the family’s decision whether to order multiple criminal records searches under the various aliases – we strongly recommend that you do.

Similarly, some candidates have a hyphenated last name, Mary Smith-Jones for example. National Crime Search Inc. will search this type of record in three formats for possible criminal records matches: Mary Smith, Mary Jones, and Mary Smith-Jones. Additional charges are incurred. Remember, a thorough criminal background search requires searching under all known names.

Criminal records searches must have an exact name match in most jurisdictions to return records. This is vital – without this exact match a record will not be returned. You are advised to do criminal searches on all known aliases. If you find a name you were not initially aware of as a result of the SSN trace, you can order additional searches. Our system is easy to use and will walk you through this step by step if the need arises. Bear in mind that this will, when needed, add at least 2 – 3 days to the final order completion.

Unless the individual was tried and convicted as an adult, records of convictions prior to the age of 18 are unavailable.

Nolle Prossed is from the Latin term “Nolle Prosqui” meaning “We shall no longer prosecute.” Generally, it is a decision by the prosecution that there is insufficient evidence to pursue the case. It is often used in plea bargains. The prosecution decided not to prosecute a criminal case. A ‘dismissal’ may be ordered by the court when the court decides that the case, for any of a number of factors, including lack of witnesses, an offer of restitution, community service, lack of evidence, etc., will not go forward. Depending on state law, dismissed and/or Nolle Processed charges may or may not be reported on pre-employment screening reports.

NannyVerify regrets we cannot provide access to individual credit reports via our website. Families desiring this information should contact a reputable credit reporting agency directly. Be advised, however, that all of the credit bureaus have tightened access to this information and will no longer accept residential based businesses (for us this means families) as users. Because of this added level of credit bureau security we are unable to offer these checks. Our recommendation would be if this is important to your job staffing (a personal assistant who will have access to your bank funds for example) you may request that the applicant obtain their own credit report directly.

The following are some suggestions.

• Have the nanny/care giver complete a formal job application and either fax or mail it to you.
• Require that the caregiver show you original documents confirming her identity: drivers license, passport, college ID card, etc. At least one document should have a photo. Do not accept photocopies as these can disguise alterations.
• Establish chronology of work and education history. Look for unexplained gaps. If significant gaps exist, ask the candidate to help ‘fill in the blanks.’ Make sure the candidate’s history is in month/year format. Ask probing questions – often gaps indicate a prior poor employment experience, but they can signal a myriad of other problems.
• Personally contact all references and verify all prior employment. References from teachers and clergy are encouraged, and are often the only real references the younger candidate may have. Follow up on all written references with a telephone call if possible, or better yet try to meet the person informally for coffee to chat. People may be reluctant to admit to concerns on paper, but will sometimes share them ‘off the record’. Experts suggest that you attempt to get an additional reference for your candidate from their chosen references. A question like “Do you know anyone else who might be able to give me a character reference on Susie?” will often elicit a name and number of someone who has not been briefed by the candidate ahead of time.
• Check DMV records, even if the nanny or senior caregiver will not be driving. Either require that the nanny provide you an original, current DMV record or order this search independently as part of the criminal background check.
• Verify education. Candidate can send you copies of transcripts or diploma. If you can, talk to a teacher or administrator that knows her.
  TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. Don’t worry that your spouse or coworker might think you are paranoid. If your gut says there is something wrong, move on to other candidates.

DO NOT…

• Employ a nanny or senior caregiver without checking references and employment history.
• Ignore unexplained gaps or discrepancies in work and education history – always check them out until you are completely satisfied.

Our partners provide a quick turnaround time that is typically 1-3 business days to ensure you can proceed with your hiring quickly, without compromising on thoroughness.

Yes, all checks are conducted in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), ensuring that they meet federal legal requirements.