New Hampshire Background Checks

Employers can conduct New Hampshire background checks on potential employees and volunteers to reduce the risk of criminal activities in the workplace. Background checks in New Hampshire also confirm the information on an applicant’s resume and help the employer determine if the applicant is qualified for the job. Employers should practice safe hiring with background checks. Failing to perform a criminal background check prior to hiring an employee can lead to the employer being held liable for a crime committed by an employee on the job.

New Hampshire employers must protect their businesses but also the rights of their applicants and employees. Employers must become familiar with local, state, and federal laws for the best hiring practices prior to conducting employment background checks.

Health Street provides a full range of criminal background checks in New Hampshire, allowing companies to accurately screen job applicants before hiring. We offer a wide variety of employment screening ranging from a simple criminal database search to comprehensive investigative research of a person’s criminal record, job history, credentials, and references. For quality, professional and timely background screenings, look to Health Street to provide your business with employment background checks in New Hampshire.

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What background checks in New Hampshire does Health Street offer?

Health Street’s criminal background check packages always start with a Social Security Number Trace. From there, you can add specific background checks, choose from one of our most popular packages, or build your own.

Court Record Package

(starting at $99)

Search the Court Record Repository at the state or county level. This background check is an investigation of court records in the counties or states that a person has used their Social Security Number.

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Platinum Background Check Package

(starting at $175)

Includes:
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Everything in Triple Database Package plus Courthouse Repository (State and/or County level)
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Ultimate Package

(starting at $250)

Includes:
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Everything in Platinum Package plus a 10 panel drug test.
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Build Your Own Package

(prices vary)

Mix and match a variety of our background screening services to create your perfect package. This can include criminal database checks, sanctions, resume verifications, and drug testing.

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Resume Verification

(starting at $39)

Check a person’s job history, degrees, references, and certifications.

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DOT Background Check

(starting at $39)

Ensure DOT compliance with our driver screening services.

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Why Health Street For New Hampshire Background Checks?

Performing background checks in the Granite State involves knowing and following state rules and regulations which may stipulate what information can be taken into account when making hiring decisions. Requirements vary by state.

Performing background checks on your own is risky and can lead you into legal trouble. Hiring a background check company, known as a Credit Reporting Agency or CRA, is highly advisable. A credit reporting agency’s job is to stay abreast of New Hampshire background check laws. Reputable CRA’s help you avoid pitfalls such as:

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Not uncovering criminal activity
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Revealing too much information, including things that by law cannot be considered during the hiring process

The risk of uncovering too much information in a background check is significant. Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandate that certain protected information cannot be considered by employers when making hiring decisions. When hiring in New Hampshire, it is crucial to use a CRA that understands the complexity of background check laws in New Hampshire.

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DOT Background Screening Services

If you are hiring truck drivers, you already know that you need to check back for three years of violations with prior companies and the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. You also have to check their New Hampshire motor vehicle report, of course.

Knowing and complying with these regulations can be daunting. Health Street removes the stress by conducting and storing your DOT background checks in the same, easy-to-access portal as your other driver file records. You can manage your DOT compliance and random pool in one place. We can provide you with:

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New Hampshire drivers license check
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Contacting prior employers from before January 2020.
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Searching the FMCSA Clearinghouse on your behalf.

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Resume Review and Verification Checks

When evaluating a job applicant, the first thing a hiring manager tends to look at is their resume. But what if the schools attended, degrees earned, job titles held, and other credentials were embellished, exaggerated, or outright fabricated? Before making that hire, you can rest easy knowing that Health Street can add resume verification to our New Hampshire background checks.

Resume fraud is unfortunately all too common in New Hampshire. Our resume verification services provide a definitive check on everything listed on your applicant’s resume. This includes:

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education verification to confirm the degrees and certifications stated.
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employment history to check that they have held the jobs claimed
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professional license verification to confirm they have the certifications required.

Be sure that the person you want to hire is really who they say they are by ordering resume verification services from Health Street.

New Hampshire Background Screening Info

House Bill 253 – Criminal Records Checks in New Hampshire

In 2020, New Hampshire became a “ban-the-box” state, which means that candidates cannot be asked about prior convictions on job applications. New Hampshire HB 253, signed into law on July 28, 2020, prohibits public employers from asking about prior convictions or running a criminal background check prior to a job interview. The employer can only run a background check after a conditional offer of employment has been made. The only exception is if it is required by federal or state law for that occupation.

Employers must follow federal and New Hampshire background check laws to ensure the safety and rights of themselves, their applicants, and employees.

Acts and Statutes for Background Checks in New Hampshire

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protects the rights of applicants and employers. The FCRA allows employers to run background checks but requires them to provide the applicant with their rights and obtain written permission prior to conducting an employment background screening. If an employer chooses not to hire or promote due to the results of a criminal background check, a pre-adverse action notice must be given to the applicant or employee, and it must include a document summarizing their rights under the FCRA and a copy of their consumer report. This allows for the applicant to discuss the background report findings with the employer before adverse action is taken. Employers must provide a waiting period between providing the adverse action notice and taking adverse action, and then must provide a post-adverse action notice to the employee.

New Hampshire’s RSA 359-B limits the reasons reports can be used, but a credit reporting agency can issue a report to employers with a legitimate need for information, such as a government agency or potential employer, with the person’s consent. This state law applies to all New Hampshire employers, employees, and job applicants. Just like the FCRA, New Hampshire’s RSA 359-B requires the employer to inform applicants of adverse employment actions based on the report’s results and provide the name and address of the consumer reporting agency.

New Hampshire RSA §§ 151:2 to 151:2-d states that applicants for certification or license to operate healthcare and residential care facilities must submit criminal background check results from the New Hampshire Department of Safety (NHDOS). Applicants selected for employment in one of these facilities must also submit background screening results before a final offer of employment is made. This New Hampshire law covers hospitals, health services, home care providers, laboratories, emergency medical care facilities, and birthing centers. This is not a complete list of employers covered by this law. Employees covered by the law include those in direct contact with clients, client records, and client bodily fluids, tissues, and other biological materials.

New Hampshire RSA §§ 170-E:1 to 170-E:29-a applies to employers, employees, and applicants associated with child daycare agencies or providers and states that they must undergo criminal background checks. Criminal record checks must include the New Hampshire sex offender and abuse and neglect registries and the national sex offender registry.

New Hampshire background check laws exist for all employers in the state, so every employer needs to familiarize themselves with these laws to protect themselves, their employees, and their business.

Statistics on Crime in the State of New Hampshire
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There were 17,014 total crimes in New Hampshire in 2020, which was a rate of 12.35 per 1,000 residents.
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In 2020, there were 2,000 violent crimes in New Hampshire, a rate of 1.45 per 1,000 people.
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Property crimes were the most common crimes in New Hampshire in 2020. There were 15,014 property crimes, a rate of 10.9 per 1,000 residents.
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The violent crime rate in New Hampshire was lower than the national average in 2020.
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The chance of becoming the victim of a violent crime in New Hampshire is one in 689.
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In 2020, assault was the most common violent crime in New Hampshire, with 1,166 reported assaults. There were 280 robberies, 542 rapes, and 12 murders in the same year.
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The property crime rate in New Hampshire was lower than the national average in 2020.
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The chance of becoming the victim of a property crime in New Hampshire is one in 92.
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In 2020, theft was the most common property crime, with 12,558 thefts reported. This was a rate of 9.12 per 1,000 residents.
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There were 1,412 burglaries and 1,044 motor vehicle thefts in New Hampshire in 2020.
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As of 2020, there are four crimes per square mile in New Hampshire, less than the national average of 26.9.
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From 2018 to 2020, New Hampshire has seen an increase in hate crimes, including crimes against persons and property.
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As of 2022, the safest city in New Hampshire is Atkinson, with a violent crime rate of 0.4 and a property crime rate of 2.7.

Citations

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Avery, Beth and Lu, Han. “Ban the Box: U.S. Cities, Counties and States Adopt Fair Hiring Policies.” National Employment Law Project, 1 October 2021, https://www.nelp.org/publication/ban-the-box-fair-chance-hiring-state-and-local-guide/
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“Chapter 31, HB 253 – Final Version.” National Employment Law Project, http://www.nelp.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Hampshire-HB-253-2020-public-sector-BTB.pdf
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“Fair Credit Reporting Act.” Federal Trade Commission (FTC), https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act
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Holland, Ron and Batten, Jonathan. “FCRA 101: How to Avoid Risky Background Checks.” Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), 20 October 2017, https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/fcra-avoid-risky-background-checks.aspx
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“Advisory Opinion to Weisberg (06-27-97).” United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 27 June 1997, https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/advisory-opinions/advisory-opinion-weisberg-06-27-97
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“Consumer Sourcebook – Credit Reporting.” New Hampshire Department of Justice, https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/sourcebook/credit-reporting.htm
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“New Hampshire RSA §§ 151:2 to 151:2-d – Criminal Record Check Required.” Justia U.S. Law, https://law.justia.com/codes/new-hampshire/2015/title-xi/chapter-151/section-151-2-d
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New Hampshire Department of Safety.” https://www.nh.gov/safety/
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“New Hampshire RSA §§ 170-E:1 to 170-E:29.” Justia U.S. Law, https://law.justia.com/codes/new-hampshire/2016/title-xii/chapter-170-e/section-170-e-29-a
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“New Hampshire Crime.” Neighborhood Scout, https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nh/crime
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“New Hampshire – Hate Crimes.” The U.S. Department of Justice, https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/state-specific-information/new-hampshire
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Bradford, Alina. “New Hampshire’s 20 Safest Cities of 2022.” Safewise, 7 March 2022, https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-new-hampshire/#city1
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“The Importance of Background Checks.” Markel Insurance, https://www.markelinsurance.com/resources/small-business/the-importance-of-background-checks
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Parent, Jennifer. “New rules for employee background checks.” 30 November 2012, https://www.nhbr.com/new-rules-for-employee-background-checks/
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“Background Check Laws – New Hampshire.” Vrountas Ayer & Chandler, P.C., https://www.vaclegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Background-Check-Laws-New-Hampshire-5-522-4219.pdf