Advice on running a background check for household staff in NY?

Law Discussions
1

I’m hiring a household employee in New York and need to run a background check. Planning to use an online service after getting their consent. I have a few things I’m unsure about: 1. Is electronic consent okay since the applicant can’t sign in person? 2. Do I have to show them the results of the check? 3. What’s important to consider when choosing the type of check? 4. Any recommendations for good background check services? Appreciate any help!

2

You should be fine with electronic consent as long as it’s properly recorded. Just make sure to check state laws.

3

Shawn said:
You should be fine with electronic consent as long as it’s properly recorded. Just make sure to check state laws.

Does that mean using something like an online form or DocuSign?

4

Shawn said:
You should be fine with electronic consent as long as it’s properly recorded. Just make sure to check state laws.

Yep, exactly. As long as they can agree and sign digitally, it should work.

5

You only need to share the results if they affect your hiring decision. Otherwise, it’s not mandatory.

6

Wynn said:
You only need to share the results if they affect your hiring decision. Otherwise, it’s not mandatory.

What happens if the results do affect hiring?

7

Wynn said:
You only need to share the results if they affect your hiring decision. Otherwise, it’s not mandatory.

Then you have to follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules.

8

Look for services that offer criminal checks, employment history, and licensing verification. Those are usually enough for household staff.

9

Thorn said:
Look for services that offer criminal checks, employment history, and licensing verification. Those are usually enough for household staff.

Any specific services you’ve tried?

10

Thorn said:
Look for services that offer criminal checks, employment history, and licensing verification. Those are usually enough for household staff.

Checkr is good, and I’ve also heard positive things about GoodHire.

11

FYI, some services offer different levels of checks depending on the job. Might be worth looking into.

12

Bennett said:
FYI, some services offer different levels of checks depending on the job. Might be worth looking into.

Good point. I guess a basic check should be fine for most household roles?

13

Bennett said:
FYI, some services offer different levels of checks depending on the job. Might be worth looking into.

Yeah, criminal history and employment verification should cover most cases.