Background Screening FAQs

A: Yes, Data Facts has Errors and Omissions insurance.

A: All Data Facts employees are FCRA Certified and must pass recertification tests every 2 years. This ensures that our staff is knowledgeable and able to assist clients regarding FCRA regulations.

A: We offer several value-add tools to help keep you abreast of upcoming changes in laws that affect background screening:

• The State Rules Register: Access to this site provides comprehensive information regarding State Laws for Background Screening. This site is updated by an Employment Attorney. Search by state to see which restrictions or special laws apply for that state. Or search by restriction (i.e. Ban the Box, salary history restrictions, etc.) and all the states and areas with restrictions will populate. Links to the appropriate statutes are provided.
• Website: Our website contains a complete listing and description of our products as well as compliant procedures.
• Newsletter. We share compliance news on issues like drug screening, data security, I-9 regulations, and legislation in our monthly compliance newsletter.
• Blog: We cover a variety of topics affecting our industry on our blog.
• How-to-guide: A go-to reference to resolve the most common issues.
• Webinars: We offer monthly webinars that address changes in policies and emerging trends in acceptable practices regarding background screening and relevant HR topics.

In addition, we provide ready-to-use documents to help keep you in compliance.

Electronic Authorizations and Disclosures

If utilizing the electronic authorizations and disclosures via Data Facts’ QuickApp™, the appropriate state disclosures and/or notices will populate for your applicant based on where they indicate that they live and/or are working.

Adverse Action Notices and Reminders

Pre-adverse and Adverse Action Letters can all be sent out electronically (via email and/or text) through our platform. The email and accompanying letter are automatically customized with your specifications, and our technology allows you to see if and when the candidate has opened the email. Additionally, your account can be configured to automatically remind you to send the Final Notice of Adverse Action after a specified number of days from the time you sent the Pre-Adverse Notification.

A: Upon the discovery of a breach or suspected breach, End-Users should notify Data Facts immediately. Email notification should be sent to compliance@datafacts.com or call 800-264-4110.

Data Facts may take any action it considers appropriate to safeguard the data, including but not limited to suspension of client’s access until Data Facts has determined the client’s environment is safe.

• Client will comply with all federal and state breach laws.
• Client must take immediate steps to protect Data Facts’ consumer reports to minimize the amount of data compromised. Those steps include but are not limited to suspending access of all end users involved. Access may be suspended for an individual or identified group or suspected violators.
• Client will actively cooperate with and participate in any investigation conducted by Data Facts that results from the client’s breach or suspected breach of information. User will respond to related requests as required for all investigations.
• If the root cause of the breach is determined to be under control of the client (employee or former employee fraud, misconduct or abuse, access by an unqualified or improperly qualified end user, poor information security practices, ID sharing, etc.) Data Facts may assess a client an expense recovery fee.

A: Any results for instant products that do not return adverse information are returned 24/7. Otherwise the Data Facts offices are open 7AM-7PM CT.

A: Yes, batch uploads are available to accommodate bulk ordering. If screening for several applicants at one time or for periodic employee monitoring, the batch upload provides a solution for rapidly uploading many orders at once.

A: We can use either hard copy documents or electronically sent and signed documents for the authorization process. The electronically signed documents can be sent by email or through our mobile platform, QuickApp.

A: There are four main ways that a background check can be ordered:

1. Applicant Tracking System Integrations — Data Facts is integrated with over 75 different applicant tracking systems. Ordering via an integration is sure to improve your efficiencies and expedite your screening process by eliminating the need to reenter the applicant information for the background check.

With seamless access and an interactive workflow for managing background screening requirements, the solution offers a fast, simple, and intuitive user and applicant experience, allowing you to increase workforce productivity, reduce time-to-hire, and get more high-quality hires.

2. Traditional Ordering Method — An authorized employee will access the Data Facts platform, select the “Order” tab. The customized service package options will be shown on the screen and the user will select the appropriate package. (Note: Administrative users can choose to hide specific packages if they prefer.) The user will provide the required applicant information for the background check and/or drug screen and click submit.

3. Applicant Order Entry — Our mobile application products allow applicants to order their own report (via a custom link that Data Facts provides to the client), which removes the data entry burden from the HR professional. It also minimizes the risk of data entry errors and duplicate order entry. Furthermore, it allows the applicant to electronically sign their authorization and disclosure. 

4. Batch Uploads — Batch uploads are available to accommodate bulk ordering. If screening for several applicants at one time for such events as new store openings or special screening projects, the batch upload provides a solution for rapidly uploading many orders at once.

A: Any time after a background check has been ordered, a user can sign into your ATS platform or our platform and view the overall status of a report. Reports that have adverse information are clearly labeled with a flag. There is also an option for users to receive email notifications whenever a search on a report is flagged and/or to receive an email notification after the entire report is complete.

If there is a delay on a specific search, the investigator working the file will contact the requestor via the preferred communication method established during account set up. Our investigators can communicate with our clients via telephone call, direct email, support ticket system, and by placing updates directly in the “notes” section of the background check. Additionally, many of our investigators have clients who prefer to use other communication methods such as Slack or Skype instant messaging.

A: Yes. Open communication is one of our top priorities. Our Operations team will proactively notify you if part of your order is going to be delayed, and offer an ETA on when it can be expected.

A: Individual search results ARE available as they are completed. You can log into our platform at any time to view results of components. Once the report is fully completed, the results will populate in the ATS.

A: Reports located in our system will remain active for 90 days after completion of the report. After 90 days the system will create a PDF version without changing anything else in the system. The system will archive reports after 365 days after the completion of the report. Archive reports will be available for you to print and view in the advanced settings tab. Data purge is set for 5 years. Electronic files containing consumer information will be erased so that the information cannot be read or reconstructed.

A: Data Facts has a written policy on Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity. The purpose of this plan is to communicate plans and procedures in the event of extended service outages caused by factors beyond our control (natural disasters, man made events or pandemic outbreaks). The object is to restore services to the widest extent possible in a minimum time frame. In the event such a disaster occurs, Data Facts has documented procedures to follow to limit any disruption in service to our clients. Responsive communication is critical. Data Facts will take all measures necessary to communicate with all affected parties as soon as proper evaluation has been made of the circumstances and important details can be provided. Data Facts has a clear process and defined procedures for ensuring not only the safety of information but also to ensure any disruption in service due to circumstances beyond our control, is kept to a minimum and that recovery from such an event be swift and efficient. This plan is tested annually.

A: Yes. Data Facts' system utilizes real-time database mirroring across multiple geographically isolated availability zones in the US-West-2 (Oregon) and US-East-1 (Virginia) AWS Regions to ensure the availability and durability of system data. In the event of a catastrophic primary database failure, the system can automatically promote a reader instance to primary in a matter of minutes. Additionally, encrypted database snapshots are kept for fourteen days allowing point-in-time recovery.

Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

The Data Facts' system database is replicated twelve times across six separate, geographically isolated data centers in real-time. We expect virtually no data loss in the event of a catastrophic primary database failure for a recovery point objective on the order of tens of milliseconds.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

The recovery time objective for Data Facts' system is 24 hours. In practice, in the event of a catastrophic primary database failure, we expect failover to happen within minutes.