Massachusetts Background Checks
There are a variety of Massachusetts background check laws that employers and HR professionals must be aware of when conducting background checks to avoid any compliance or legal concerns. These laws include but are not limited to ban-the-box laws, CORI laws, and fair credit report laws.
Health Street's line of background checks in Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts background checks from Health Street.
What background checks in Massachusetts 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.
REGISTER NOWPlatinum Background Check Package
(starting at $175)
Ultimate Package
(starting at $250)
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.
REGISTER NOWResume Verification
(starting at $39)
Check a person's job history, degrees, references, and certifications.
REGISTER NOWDOT Background Check
(starting at $39)
Ensure DOT compliance with our driver screening services.
REGISTER NOWCity Background Checks
For information regarding background checks in a specific city, click the relevant link below:
Why Health Street For Massachusetts Background Checks?
Health Street combines industry knowledge, a commitment to accuracy, and a spirit of fairness when performing background checks in the Bay State. Comprehensive employment screenings keep you and your business from stumbling into legal problems. A thorough background screening is essential to confirming that your new hires in are qualified and honest.
Health Street's combination of high tech and high touch make background checks in fast and reliable. We offer simple, secure web technology matched with local court runners to protect your company.
Due diligence is critical. Poorly performed background checks can expose you in the following ways:
In either case, you could be held legally liable. It is critical that you stay in compliance with local labor laws. Let Health Street's experts conduct your background checks in New Mexico so you'll know that your candidates have been fully and properly vetted before hire.
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:
These measures ensure that your new hire has a safe Massachusetts driving record and no drug or alcohol violations in the past three years.
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 Massachusetts background checks.
Resume fraud is unfortunately all too common in Massachusetts. Our resume verification services provide a definitive check on everything listed on your applicant's resume. This includes:
Be sure that the person you want to hire is really who they say they are by ordering resume verification services from Health Street.
Massachusetts Background Check Laws
CORI Laws
According to the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) policy requirement, any employer who wishes to perform five or more Massachusetts background checks will be required by law to develop a criminal record information policy. This policy must outline the various employer background screening compliance requirements established under CORI, including:
A copy of this CORI policy must be shared with all job applicants who request it.
Ban-the-Box Laws
Under Massachusetts background check law, both private and public employers are required to follow the state's ban-the-box policy. Ban-the-box legislation was first established in Massachusetts back in 2010 but was later amended in 2018 to include new updates that create heavier restrictions for employers who request criminal record details during the employment screening phase.
Under the latest ban-the-box legislation, employers looking to conduct background checks in Massachusetts are:
Employers who fail to comply with ban-the-box laws can face hefty state penalties and fines alongside possible legal repercussions from the applicant.
Credit Reporting Laws
Employers conducting employment background checks in Massachusetts are required to follow Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) legislation when using credit reports during the hiring process. The FRCA legislation requires employers to:
Failure to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act may put an employer at risk of facing legal consequences as well as state penalties and fines.
Salary Reporting Laws
Under the Massachusetts Pay Equity Act, an employer is restricted from screening job applicants on the basis of their salary history. This means that during the pre-employment application process, Massachusetts employers are prohibited from requesting or demanding any sort of information relating to salary history and prior hourly wages for hiring decision purposes.
Statistics on Crime in the State of Massachusetts
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CORI Check in Massachusetts?
A Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check is a background assessment to monitor for criminal behavior through demographic data, including name and last known address, as well as any accompanying Massachusetts court arraignment and disposition data.
Court arraignment and disposition data found in a CORI report include adult criminal court appearances beginning at the age of 18 for offenses after September 18, 2013, and age 17 for offenses before September 18, 2013. It also includes juvenile delinquency appearances in court from the age of 18 and under for offenses after September 18, 2013, and age 17 and under for offenses before September 18, 2013.
Under Massachusetts background check law, any organization or individual can request a CORI report. Bear in mind that the amount of data and information provided depends on the level of access the requestor is entitled to.
What Shows Up on a Background Check in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts employers who request applicant background check reports can view criminal history details such as arrest dates, criminal charges, and sentencing details, as well as employment history and education credentials.
Keep in mind that under Massachusetts consumer reporting law, a background check company may not report criminal records of arrest, indictment, or conviction of a crime that exceeds more than seven years from the date of disposition, release, or parole.