Premium Background Check

Overview

The Premium Background Check is the most comprehensive background check available through Care.com. It’s performed by PFC Information Services, an Imperative Company, (PFC), by highly trained researchers, including licensed private investigators. It encompasses PFC’s benchmark criminal record investigation, a search of driving record history (from the state where your caregiver is licensed) and additional searches to identify indicators of “red flag” behaviors. There is no single source for all criminal records in the United States, so in performing these searches, PFC’s researchers utilize information from county courts, state law enforcement agencies, state bureaus of prisons, statewide administrative offices of the courts, federal courts and other sources. In all cases, criminal research is conducted manually, often in person, by hands-on searches of actual records in courthouses.

When to use it

Run a Premium Background Check on your top candidate before you hire, when you want the most comprehensive check we offer.

What’s included

The Premium Background Check comprises the following:

• Social Security Number Trace—PFC will access the name and address records associated with the caregiver’s Social Security number, or SSN, in consumer reference files (credit reports, public records, and other commercially available information) as a guide to their research. This is sometimes referred to as an SSN Trace or, less accurately, as an SSN Verification. PFC’s analysts will individually review information from consumer reference files to corroborate the identity information provided by the applicant and determine under which names and in which jurisdictions criminal research should be conducted. Because the information found in consumer reference files comes from a variety of sources and often contains errors, the results of this research are not included in PFC’s reports except for their inclusion in the lists of names on which research was conducted. This is not verification that the information provided matches the records of the Social Security Administration or any government entity. If the provided identity information is inconsistent with the results of PFC’s research, PFC will work with the caregiver to identify any data entry errors and, failing that, use other means to attempt to corroborate the provided identity information.
• Multi-Jurisdictional Database Search—PFC will conduct this database search under each name associated with the applicant during Advanced Identity Research. Sometimes referred to as a “national” or “nationwide” criminal history search, this privately-maintained database contains millions of criminal records, sex-offender registrations, the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s (OFAC) list of identified terrorists and other international criminals (often referred to as the Patriot Act list), and other sources. Some jurisdictions provide limited or no information for inclusion in this database. Half or more of the available criminal records in the United States are missing from these kinds of criminal databases. Many background checks only conduct a seven-year search for records, missing many records older than seven years.  PFC’s expanded search of the multijurisdictional criminal records database will yield all criminal records in the database, regardless of age but subject to legal reportability. To ensure maximum possible accuracy, any records found in the database are verified with the originating county prior to inclusion in PFC’s Report.
• Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website— PFC will access the US Department of Justice’s public website that interfaces with the sex offender websites of all fifty states and many US territories to identify any possible sex offender registrations for the applicant. Because this website is simply a gateway to the other jurisdictions’ sex offender websites, it may be unreliable at times. Some websites may be offline, or the USDOJ’s integration may not work properly. Additionally, not all states’ sex offender registries provide enough information about registrants to confirm that the individual listed on the website is the individual on whom research is conducted. If any possible records are found, PFC will confirm the information with the state and, to the extent possible, locate the original criminal case at the county level to confirm that the record is related to the applicant and to obtain additional offense information.  This search is subject to federal and state limitations, availability, and applicable reporting limitations, and may not capture an individual’s entire sex offender history.
• Federal District Criminal Research—PFC will, at a minimum, search for criminal records in each federal district associated with the applicant in the past ten years. Jurisdictions and names included in research are determined during Advanced Identity Research. While federal court records account for only 2% of the criminal records PFC reports to its clients, they are always items of interest. Federal court cases include bank robbery, insurance fraud, interstate drug and gun crimes, and kidnapping. The indices for federal court records include only the defendants’ names. They do not include defendants’ dates of birth or other identifiers. This means that often records initially identified by searching a common name are not actually associated with the applicant. PFC will conduct additional research to determine if the defendant in a federal case is the applicant. This usually does not delay completion of the Report more than one day. However, on occasion, this may require more time-consuming effort, such as retrieving records from the federal archives or processing a request through the Department of Justice. In exceptionally rare cases, this additional research may take three or more weeks.
• State-level Criminal Record and Sex Offender Research—This search, of the available statewide criminal records databases, incarceration records, and sex offender registries in each state associated with the applicant in the past ten years, sometimes identifies criminal records in jurisdictions that would not have otherwise been included in PFC’s research efforts. Registered sex offender searches are available in all 50 states and territories. However, each jurisdiction has unique standards as to which registrations are available to the public.  The sex offender search is subject to federal and state limitations, availability, and applicable reporting limitations and may not capture an individual’s entire sex offender history. Access to states’ criminal record repositories and incarceration records is governed by state law and varies widely between states.  Statewide criminal records repositories are not available in Arizona, California, and West Virginia. Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and Wyoming require notarized written authorizations, fingerprints, or other special handling to access state criminal records. PFC will follow each state’s procedures for accessing records. PFC will seek the client’s approval of additional fees before proceeding with state criminal record repository searches in these states.
• County-level Misdemeanor and Felony Criminal Records Searches—PFC will conduct searches of the misdemeanor and felony criminal court records of each county associated with the applicant in the past ten years. Counties and names included in this research are determined using information provided to PFC by the caregiver and other information developed during the Social Security number trace. Each search will cover a minimum of ten years of criminal records in that county, if available–most will cover longer periods. Many counties have decentralized court records systems, and each city or town in a county may have its own separate system for maintaining records of citations and low-level offenses. PFC’s research is conducted using the records of the primary county-level criminal case indices and may not reflect cases in municipal or other low-level courts not included in the primary indices.
• State Driving History—Sometimes referred to as a Motor Vehicle Records check, or MVR, this report will deliver the state’s official record of the applicant’s driving record, typically including accidents and citations in the last three to five years. Different states provide different kinds of information and records for different lengths of time. In all but a few states, these records are returned instantly. However, Pennsylvania and Washington state require additional forms to be completed by the driver before releasing their information to PFC. PFC will work with the applicant to obtain the necessary paperwork, but this additional effort (which may include mailing a notarized form to the state) may delay completion of the report.
• Federal District Bankruptcy Search—This review of federal court records will identify any bankruptcy filings by the applicant in the past ten years.
• National Wants and Warrants Search—PFC will search this federal database of extraditable arrest warrants that have been reported by local, state, and federal authorities. Typically, only warrants where the issuing jurisdiction is willing to undergo the expense to extradite the individual are included. Many, if not most, warrants are not included in the federal database.
• County-level Civil Protective/Restraining Order Search—This search checks for protective orders (also called restraining orders, protective orders, or stay-away orders) filed by or against the applicant in each county associated with the applicant in the past two years. CPOs are frequently filed in the context of domestic disputes, but they can also be filed in non-domestic situations, such as by an individual’s coworkers, former employers, neighbors, etc. CPOs are not always considered public information and may not be accessible by conducting a county search. Because research is often conducted by court or law enforcement personnel, this research often takes 3-5 business days to complete.

Advanced Background Check

The Advanced Background Check, offered through HomePay, is also performed by PFC Information Services, an Imperative Company.  The Advanced Background Check includes the searches described above, with the following exceptions: 

• Federal District Criminal Research
• State-level Criminal Record and Sex Offender Research
• Federal District Bankruptcy Search
• National Wants and Warrants Search
• County-level Civil Protective/Restraining Order Search

Special limitations for Massachusetts and New Hampshire

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Criminal County Search conducted in Massachusetts and New Hampshire reports felonies and misdemeanors only for the Superior Court and a single District Court in the county seat or its equivalent in the named county and no other court in such county. Because the vast majority of criminal records are maintained in District Courts, the Criminal County Search may not reveal a caregiver’s entire criminal history in these states.

If you are considering a caregiver who has lived in Massachusetts, we recommend you run a statewide search of the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system. The cost to run a caregiver Required 2 CORI search is $25. View a list of criminal offenses that are commonly addressed by the District Courts.

If you are considering a caregiver who has lived in New Hampshire, we recommend you request a search of the New Hampshire State Police Criminal Records. This is an illustrative, non-comprehensive list of certain limitations of this check; additional limitations may apply in certain jurisdictions, including on the federal level.

State Criminal Records Search (New York Only)—Due to New York State’s criminal reporting system, a Criminal Records Check performed on New York residents may consist of a state-wide criminal records search of records at the county level instead of an individual county criminal records search. This search is designed to return felony and misdemeanor convictions at the county level in New York State during the prior 7 years.