Washington Background Checks

Health Street’s line of background checks in Washington delivers fast, meticulously researched data on an applicant’s criminal history, references, education and employment. We pride ourselves on providing what employers need to inform their decisions about the people they hire. Washington employment background checks give companies the assurance that their new hires have been fully vetted and won’t pose a risk. Verify if someone is being honest with you before you hire them – with Washington background checks from Health Street.

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What background checks in Washington 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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City Background Checks

For information regarding background checks in a specific city, click the relevant link below:

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Why Health Street For Washington Background Checks?

Criminal background check in the Evergreen State must be done in accordance with state law. There are very specific requirements that companies must follow in order to perform a legally compliant background check, and it varies by state. Health Street’s understanding of local laws combined with advanced technologies help keep you in compliance with background check laws.

A Credit Reporting Agency, or CRA, should do more than just checking a public database on your behalf. Running background checks present a pair of equally troublesome risks:

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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

If you receive information from your CRA that you are not permitted to include in your hiring decision, you can run afoul of laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). On the flip side, if you miss a critical criminal record, it can be even more devastating. For these reasons, it’s critically important to work with a CRA with experience performing comprehensive employment background checks in .

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DOT Background Screening Services

If you hire truck drivers or other vehicle operators covered by DOT, then you know you have to comply with the Department of Transportation’s FMCSA modality regulations. To comply with DOT regs, you must:

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Contact previous employers (from before January 2020)
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Review the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse for January 2020 and later.
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Run the Washington Motor Vehicle Report (MVR).

These measures ensure that your new hire has a safe Washington driving record and no drug or alcohol violations in the past three years.

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Resume Review and Verification Checks

Sometimes, the job candidate who seems to be most qualified is lying on his or her resume. In fact, it is quite common for people to misrepresent their education, degrees earned, and work history in order to qualify for a job that they otherwise would not obtain. An unqualified employee—especially one who forges aspects of their experience—creates serious risks for business leaders and HR executives.

Health Street’s background checks in Washington can verify a person’s resume, confirming the information that they have provided to you about their education, employment history, professional licensure, and degrees earned. We can even check references. Including these options on your background check in Washington gives you and your business the protection it deserves and the knowledge that you are hiring honest, qualified candidates.

Background Screening Information for Washington

Safeguarding Employers and Employees Through Background Checks in Washington

In Washington State, employers are limited by both federal and state law which determines what questions they can ask in an interview, and at what point in the hiring process background checks can be requested.

In every situation, the applicant must be told before a background check can be conducted. Most employers in Washington State run background checks via the Washington State Patrol, the FBI, or a consumer reporting agency, which can give them information on credit history.

In Washington State, state law limits reporting of both arrests and convictions that are older than seven years, as well as juvenile conviction records if an applicant is over the age of 21.

According to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), if an employer finds a conviction that makes them doubt the applicant’s suitability for the job in question, they must consider carefully whether to deny the applicant based on this conviction. The EEOC urges employers to do an individualized assessment, in which they consider the nature and severity of the crime, the duties and environment of the job in question, as well as the time that has passed. If this is not done with the utmost due diligence, applicants may be able to file a federal discrimination claim with the EEOC.

Current Statistics on Crime in Washington State

In Washington State, the Cascade Mountains divide urban Seattle, Olympia, and Tacoma from the more rural areas of Eastern Washington. Regardless of your location, it’s important to be aware of regional patterns of crime, and exercise due diligence when conducting background checks to ensure you have enough information to protect staff as well as customers and clients.

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In 2019, crimes against persons decreased by 2.9% state-wide, totaling about 95,000 reported crimes.
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In Washington State, juveniles make up 6.2% of total arrests.
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More than 11,000 people in Washington State were arrested for drug and narcotic violations in 2019. Of that number, 8.9% were under the age of 18.
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In Washington State, the Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Annual Report divides serious, ‘Category ‘A” offenses into three categories: crimes against persons (which includes murder, rape, and aggravated assault), crimes against property (including arson, theft, and fraud), and crimes against society (ranging from animal cruelty to weapons law violations). In 2019, 22.4% of crimes committed in this category were crimes against persons.
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In 2019, weapons were involved in more than 10,000 violent crimes.

Citations

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“Guide to Criminal Records and Employment in Washington State.” Washington ACLU, https://www.aclu-wa.org/file/99150/download?token=m4Hs9loV
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“Background checks–Disclosure of information–Sharing of criminal background information by health care facilities.” RCW 43.43.832, Washington State Legislature, https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.43.832
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“Crime in Washington – 2019 Annual Report.” Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, https://www.waspc.org/assets/CJIS/crime%20in%20washington%202019-small.pdf