Glossary
A plain-English reference for employers comparing background screening providers, building a compliant hiring process, or trying to understand what each report component actually means.
A required FCRA process employers follow before making a final negative hiring decision based in whole or in part on a background check report.
ComplianceA report prepared by a consumer reporting agency that may include criminal records, verifications, driving records, credit information, or other background screening data used for employment or another permissible purpose.
Court recordsA criminal record search performed at the county courthouse or county court system where records are filed and maintained.
MethodologyA search of aggregated third-party data sources that may contain delayed, incomplete, or missing court information.
MethodologyA background screening method where trained researchers or paralegals retrieve records from court systems instead of relying only on aggregated database data.
VerificationsA confirmation of school attendance, degree, graduation status, dates attended, major, honors, or other education details when available from the source.
VerificationsA check that confirms employment history details such as employer, dates of employment, title, and sometimes rehire eligibility or separation reason where legally available.
ComplianceThe Fair Credit Reporting Act, the federal law that governs many employment background checks and the use of consumer reports.
Court recordsA search of federal district court records for federal offenses such as fraud, embezzlement, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, and other federal matters.
Background searchA screening search across sanctions, watchlist, enforcement, and other risk sources that may flag restricted parties or heightened compliance concerns.
ComplianceThe California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, a California law that can apply to certain investigative consumer reports and employment background screening workflows.
Driving recordsA motor vehicle record check that may report license status, class, endorsements, violations, suspensions, accidents, or other driving record information depending on the state.
Healthcare and federalA search of Office of Inspector General and SAM.gov exclusion data to help identify individuals or entities excluded from certain healthcare or federal contracting participation.
PricingA third-party source fee charged by a court, DMV, school, employer database, lab, clinic, international source, or other record provider and passed through at cost.
ComplianceA legally allowed reason to order or use a consumer report, such as employment screening with proper candidate authorization.
ComplianceThe notice sent before a final adverse employment decision when a background check may affect the decision.
IdentityA search that uses Social Security number and identity data to help identify names, aliases, and address history associated with a candidate.
OperationsThe time between ordering a background check component and receiving results or an update.
Compliance
A required FCRA process employers follow before making a final negative hiring decision based in whole or in part on a background check report.
Employers usually send a pre-adverse notice, wait a reasonable period for disputes, then send a final adverse notice if the decision stands.
Compliance
A report prepared by a consumer reporting agency that may include criminal records, verifications, driving records, credit information, or other background screening data used for employment or another permissible purpose.
Employment consumer reports require proper disclosure, candidate authorization, and FCRA-compliant use.
Court records
A criminal record search performed at the county courthouse or county court system where records are filed and maintained.
County searches are often the most reliable criminal search because they go closest to the source record.
Methodology
A search of aggregated third-party data sources that may contain delayed, incomplete, or missing court information.
Databases can be useful as pointers, but direct court research is usually stronger for employment decisions.
Methodology
A background screening method where trained researchers or paralegals retrieve records from court systems instead of relying only on aggregated database data.
This is a core Information Direct differentiator for accuracy, recency, and defensibility.
Verifications
A confirmation of school attendance, degree, graduation status, dates attended, major, honors, or other education details when available from the source.
Some schools use third-party verification systems that charge source access fees.
Verifications
A check that confirms employment history details such as employer, dates of employment, title, and sometimes rehire eligibility or separation reason where legally available.
Turnaround can depend on employer response time and whether the employer uses a third-party verification database.
Compliance
The Fair Credit Reporting Act, the federal law that governs many employment background checks and the use of consumer reports.
For employment screening, FCRA duties commonly include disclosure, written authorization, candidate rights, dispute handling, and adverse action steps.
Court records
A search of federal district court records for federal offenses such as fraud, embezzlement, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, and other federal matters.
Federal criminal records are separate from county and state criminal records, so they are often ordered as an add-on or higher-tier package item.
Background search
A screening search across sanctions, watchlist, enforcement, and other risk sources that may flag restricted parties or heightened compliance concerns.
A watchlist hit usually needs careful review because names can overlap and source data may require confirmation.
Compliance
The California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, a California law that can apply to certain investigative consumer reports and employment background screening workflows.
California employers should align disclosure, authorization, and notice workflows with both FCRA and applicable California requirements.
Driving records
A motor vehicle record check that may report license status, class, endorsements, violations, suspensions, accidents, or other driving record information depending on the state.
MVR access often involves state DMV or third-party source fees and permissible-purpose limits.
Healthcare and federal
A search of Office of Inspector General and SAM.gov exclusion data to help identify individuals or entities excluded from certain healthcare or federal contracting participation.
Healthcare, home health, government, and federal contractor roles often use exclusion searches as part of compliance screening.
Pricing
A third-party source fee charged by a court, DMV, school, employer database, lab, clinic, international source, or other record provider and passed through at cost.
Information Direct itemizes known pass-through fees at cost with no markup.
Compliance
A legally allowed reason to order or use a consumer report, such as employment screening with proper candidate authorization.
Accounts are credentialed before ordering so reports are used only for appropriate, documented purposes.
Compliance
The notice sent before a final adverse employment decision when a background check may affect the decision.
The notice typically includes a copy of the report, a Summary of Rights, and an opportunity for the candidate to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information.
Identity
A search that uses Social Security number and identity data to help identify names, aliases, and address history associated with a candidate.
An SSN trace is not a criminal record search. It helps select jurisdictions and verify identity clues.
Operations
The time between ordering a background check component and receiving results or an update.
Most Silver and Gold reports return in 1 to 3 business days, but courts, schools, employers, labs, DMVs, and international sources can affect timing.
Compare published package pricing, pass-through access fee rules, and sample report output before you order.
No. It is general background screening education. Employers should consult counsel for legal advice about FCRA, state law, local ordinances, and role-specific hiring decisions.
Start with FCRA, permissible purpose, candidate authorization, county criminal search, SSN trace, adverse action, and pass-through access fees.
Courthouse research retrieves records closer to the source. That helps reduce stale, incomplete, or misleading database-only results.