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(Q) Are there hidden costs, like set-up fees, annual fees or monthly minimum charges? Do I have to sign a contract?
(A)
No. You only pay the flat rate shown on the home page of the Website for each search you do. And no, there are no contracts to sign.
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(Q) Can I order a search anytime?
(A)
Yes. You can order online 24/7. Call (561) 533-0488 to discuss bulk orders.
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(Q) How long does a background check take?
(A)
Most results will be returned online within 1-3 business hours! Only education and employment verifications as well as a few non-Florida criminal searches and non-Florida workers' comp histories may take longer, 1 - 5 business days. Our business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. (Note: Bulk orders also might take longer but will be returned online.)
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(Q) How do I pay for the searches?
(A)
You pay by credit card -- American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover -- or you may be invoiced.
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(Q) But what if I'm afraid to provide credit card information online?
(A)
With the VeriSign Secure Site Seal you can be assured that your confidential transactions are secured by the best SSL (secure socket layer) encryption available.
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(Q) Do I have to get permission from the individual on whom I'm doing the search?
(A)
Yes. According to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), an individual must give you written permission to obtain information that bears on their credit worthiness, character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living to establish eligibility for employment purposes. See the FCRA Compliance section of this site for further understanding of this requirement and for a sample form you may use to ensure this requirement is met.
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(Q) Isn't it illegal to ask someone for their date of birth?
(A)
No. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of age with respect to individuals who are at least forty (40) years of age. [29 USCS §§621 et seq]. However, there are legitimate circumstances in which a request for an applicant's date of birth is necessary. In particular, an applicant's date of birth is crucial during the employment screening process when requesting a criminal record search since most courts rely on the date of birth as a primary identifier. Therefore, without a date of birth it might be impossible to verify whether or not a particular criminal record belongs to that individual. As a result, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has indicated that a request for date of birth or age on an employment application "... is not, in itself, a violation of the Act." In a letter dated July 20, 1999, the EEOC suggested that an employer do the following to ensure compliance with the ADEA:
(1) clearly identify the purpose for which date of birth information is to be used (in other words, for identification purposes only in the employment screening process);
(2) make known to the applicant that the purpose is not one proscribed by the ADEA (in other words, not to be used to discriminate based on age); and
(3) use a separate or tear-off sheet to record the date of birth so that it can be removed before the ultimate employment decision-maker sees the application.
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(Q) What is the difference between the $28 Statewide Florida Criminal History and the $10 Statewide Florida Criminal History?
(A)
The $28 Statewide Florida Criminal History comes from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). In addition to convictions and adjudication-withheld information, the report includes arrests and open cases. The $10 Statewide Florida Criminal History comes from the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) and includes convictions only as well as adjudication-withheld information.
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(Q) What does adjudication withheld mean?
(A)
Adjudication withheld is a form of conditional probation wherein the defendant usually enters a plea of guilty and the judge agrees NOT to enter it into the public records with certain conditions (i.e. that the defendant comply with probation, anger management classes, controlled substance rehabilitation programs, payment of fines, etc.) Thus, if an individual has adjudication withheld they are not "convicted" of the crime although they are still found to be guilty of the crime. Some states use this term in place of nolo prosequi, which means unwilling to prosecute.
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(Q) Which report should I order -- the $28 FDLE criminal history or the $10 FDOC criminal history?
(A)
It depends on how much information you require. If you are a licensed Florida healthcare facility you may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 screening as required by Florida Statute. Both Level 1 ( 435.03 ) and Level 2 ( 435.04 ) screenings require a FDLE criminal check. But the type and frequency of screening depends on the type of facility license.
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(Q) We are required to do Level 1 and Level 2 screenings. Does Employment Screening Services provide both of these?
(A)
Employment Screening Services can provide you with the statewide FDLE criminal report within 1-3 business hours which meets the Level 1 screening requirement (435.03) and part of the Level 2 screening requirement (435.04 ). Both the Level 1 and Level 2 screenings require a FDLE criminal check. For the Level 2 screening a fingerprint check as well as a federal criminal check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also required and we do not provide this service.
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(Q) I received a criminal record from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) but there is no disposition?
(A)
The FDLE is in the process of updating all dispositions. If you discover that the disposition of a particular case is missing in one of your criminal reports, send us an e-mail and we will follow up with FDLE directly to get the disposition information in question and will e-mail that information to you as soon as it's made available to us. So while you'll have the report within 1-3 business hours, the disposition of a particular case might come later.
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(Q) I received a nationwide criminal record and/or a non-Florida criminal record with no disposition. What do I do?
(A)
Various states are in the process of updating all dispositions. If you discover that the disposition of a particular case is missing in one of your non-Florida or nationwide criminal reports, send us an e-mail and we will follow up with the county or arresting agency of record to get the disposition information in question. We will e-mail this information to you as soon as it's made available to us. Understand that this might take a few additional business days.
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(Q) I received a Florida criminal record but don't understand the charge(s)?
(A)
Go to www.flsenate.gov/Statutes, Title XLVI, for a complete list of Florida criminal statutes or contact us for help.
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(Q) The individual on whom I did the search swears the record found is not his/hers. What do I do?
(A)
We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. If it's a criminal record in question, have the individual provide a fingerprint check (he/she can get a fingerprint card from the local police department or sheriff's office) so that you can compare those results with that of the criminal report. Or have the individual contact the appropriate authority in question -- FDLE, FDOC, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Department of Workers' Compensation, Social Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, etc. -- to get instructions on how to clear up or correct any mistakes or misinformation. A lawyer might be needed. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you. For a criminal record, we use a 3-point identification system: name, date of birth, and social security number. If there is not a three-point match, you might have to compare other information. For instance, if the record contains an individual's eye color, height, weight, race, last known address, use this information to further confirm or discount a record. In some cases, the name might be spelled slightly different or the date of birth might be close but not exact. Or the SSN might be missing altogether from the record. Nevertheless, under no circumstances is ESS responsible for any errors or omissions in the information provided of an official record or for any consequential damages arising out of your use, or misuse, of this information.
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(Q) Why can I only choose from 11 states in the Non-Florida Workers' Comp History?
(A)
Due to privacy issues raised on a national basis, each state determines what information is to be released and whether it will be released.
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(Q) Why does the driving record information seem to differ from state to state?
(A)
Due to privacy issues raised on a national basis, each state determines what information is to be released.
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(Q) Why is there so little information on the Florida Workers' Compensation claims?
(A)
Due to privacy issues, the Florida Department of Workers' Compensation has deleted the name, social security number and monetary results from the printed reports.
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(Q) I know this individual has a Florida workers' comp claim. Why didn't it show?
(A)
The name submitted must exactly match that in the Florida Department of Workers' Compensation database. Are you absolutely sure the name you provided is correct and spelled correctly? Did you provide the full name, that is, first, middle, last and maiden, if applicable? Are you absolutely sure the social security number you provided is correct and matches the individual's name? We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) I have an individual who was not born in the U.S. but has become a U.S. citizen. Do I still need to provide their alien number to do the Social Security Verification? And if so, what if they don't know what their alien number is?
(A)
Yes, you need to provide an alien number to do the search. It can be found on the individual's certificate of naturalization. If they are not sure what number you are looking for, tell them you are looking for their original green card number.
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(Q) What is the difference between a sexual offender and a sexual predator in Florida?
(A)
Sexual predators and offenders are in violation of similar offenses, but there are several key differences between them. "Sexual predator" applies to anyone convicted of a sexual offense committed from October 1, 1993 forward. "Sexual offender" applies to anyone who has committed a sexual offense on any date and is being released on or after October 1, 1997 from the sanctions imposed on them for their crime. A sanction could be anything from a fine or probation to parole or community control.
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(Q) The tag search came back as not found. What do I do?
(A)
Double check the Tag No. or Vehicle ID No. you provided. If you're sure about this number and the search came back as a "no-hit," then that number most likely is not registered with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. But we have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) The Credit History shows "No Record." What does this mean?
(A)
Most of the time it is because no credit history has been established, as with young applicants or recently immigrated individuals. Additionally, if no recent credit history has been established, (within the last 6 years) the credit bureau might not have the applicant's data updated in their files. We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) An education verification came back with a report that the individual did not attend and/or graduate but the person swears they did. What do I do now?
(A)
Double check all information provided. Have the individual call the school or institution directly to clear up any possible misinformation. We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) An employment verification came back with a report that the individual was not employed there but the person swears they were. What do I do now?
(A)
Double check all information provided. Have the individual call the former employer directly to clear up any possible misinformation. We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) Results from the person locator search came back with an address, but the person is no longer there? Or the phone number provided in the report has been disconnected? What do I do now?
(A)
This is the last known address and/or phone number we could find. Double check to make sure you've provided as much identifying information as possible. We will always conduct the most diligent search possible but there is no guarantee as to results. We have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you.
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(Q) What if there is no record found for a search I've requested. Do I get a refund or credit on my account?
(A)
No. The fact there is no record found also provides you with a necessary piece to your employment screening puzzle. Whether or not a record was found, we still have done the work necessary to perform the search and provide you with a report.
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(Q) Can I assume that any information found on an official record is 100% accurate?
(A)
No. And we have no control over the content of an official record. We provide the content of that record. If it's a criminal record in question, have the individual provide a fingerprint check (he/she can get a fingerprint card from the local police department or sheriff's office) so that you can compare those results with that of the criminal report. Or have the individual contact the appropriate authority in question -- FDLE, FDOC, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Department of Workers' Compensation, Social Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, etc. -- to get instructions on how to clear up or correct any mistakes or misinformation. A lawyer might be needed. We do not and cannot alter information in any way when we report it to you. For a criminal record, we use a 3-point identification system: name, date of birth, and social security number. If there is not a three-point match, you might have to compare other information. For instance, if the record contains an individual's eye color, height, weight, race, last known address, use this information to further confirm or discount a record. In some cases, the name might be spelled slightly different or the date of birth might be close but not exact. Or the SSN might be missing altogether from the record. Nevertheless, under no circumstances is ESS responsible for any errors or omissions in the information provided of an official record or for any consequential damages arising out of your use, or misuse, of this information.
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(Q) How long can I access my search results?
(A)
Employment Screening Services will automatically store each search result in your personal account for 30 days. You may access them any time during this period.
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(Q) I don't understand how to read the reports. What do I do?
(A)
Please call us at 561-533-0488 and we'll be happy to help you.
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(Q) Are there any days Employment Screening Services is closed?
(A)
ESS is closed on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day but you may go ahead and submit searches anytime on these days. You can expect your e-mailed results within 1-3 business hours on the next business day (or within 1-5 business days depending on the search(es) you've requested).
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