What You Need to Know Before Screening

Every organization has specific background screening requirements based on their industry, regulations, and types of positions. The checks that Care.com runs include sex offender registry checks and criminal record searches. Background checks purchased by families or providers, may also include driving record checks and global sanction searches, depending on the type of background check purchased.

No, the criminal background check process in connection with your Care.com account will not impact your credit history in any way.

Before a prospective organization starts your background check, you’ll need to sign an electronic authorization for the background check. While every company has specific background screening criteria, you’ll likely be asked for your full legal name, any aliases, current address, date of birth, and social security number. You’re also likely to be asked to provide your driver’s license number. 

Sterling takes privacy very seriously. We respect the privacy of our visitors, employees, clients, and clients’ employees and candidates. We aim to collect, use, disclose, and retain personal information online in accordance with your expectations and the law. Read our privacy statement  for details. 

We’ve got answers to your questions about screening and background checks. You can reach us via e-mail, phone or contact form. Contact us. Or Check My Status.

Members can contact the Care team by clicking Help Center on the Care.com website.

Member Care agents are available 24/7 for assistance. You can request for an agent to contact you by phone or email through the chat support feature.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you are (or believe that you are) the victim of identity theft. You may find additional resources here:

https://www.identitytheft.gov/
https://www.identitytheft.gov/know-your-rights
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/identity-theft

In some states, the organization is required to provide you with a copy of your background check at your request. If Sterling has prepared a consumer report or investigative consumer report in your name — as per the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act — you are entitled to a free copy of the completed report during each 12-month period. To receive a free copy of the report(s) in your file, please complete our  online contact form.

No, unless you have specifically provided authorization.

No. We do not search juvenile courts for juvenile records.

Every company has their own eligibility criteria. Sterling is a CRA and does not make any eligibility or hiring decisions. We provide reportable information to our clients like Care.com for them to leverage in determining eligibility based on their standards and policies.

If Care.com decides to close your account because of what was reported in a background check, you have an opportunity to file a dispute if the report is inaccurate. Care.com will be notified if your report has been amended, and they will decide if you are eligible to access their platform. For more information on account suspension, you can contact the Care.com support team.

Members may dispute the accuracy or completeness of a consumer report. To dispute, Members are encouraged to call Sterling at 1-888-889-5248. Members may also submit a dispute via email by contacting us at dispute.resolution@sterlingcheck.com.

Claims are investigated within the time allowed under the FCRA (in general, a CRA has up to 30 days to resolve a dispute). Members are notified via email of the resolution of their dispute.

Although 90% of Sterling’s criminal checks are completed within one day, there are several extenuating circumstances that can cause delays in the process, such as the availability of records. However, you will have the opportunity to dispute any discrepancies and Sterling will re-investigate the results, which can also extend the timing.

Sterling works with all organizations to provide historical background information based on applicable state and local laws.

Sterling is committed to simplifying how candidates engage throughout the screening process from start to final decision.

If it has been more than one week from when your background check began, you can contact Sterling to check on your progress. Please contact us via email at careassist@sterlingcheck.com or use the form located at the bottom of the page. 

We’ve got answers to your questions about screening and background checks. You can reach us via e-mail, phone or contact form. Contact us.

Once you submit the required information, Sterling is unable to make changes. Please contact Care.com and ask them to launch a new order with the correct details. You may receive an email to complete additional details if applicable.

If additional information is required from you, you’ll hear from either the organization requesting the background check or from Sterling directly.

The background check that is being performed on you may include public records. No action is needed from you. The notification is sent to you for informational purposes. You may have received more than one letter because the company you authorized to run a background check has initiated more than one report on you. Common examples of public records are professional license verifications, driving records, court records of criminal and/or civil cases, and sanctions searches.

Sterling is a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) who conducts background checks and shares results with Care.com. You need to contact Care.com for account-related or member eligibility inquiries, or you may review their Terms of Use for further information. You can reach the Care support team via the chat feature on the Care.com website.

In order for certain background checks to be conducted, Sterling must be able to verify the provided Social Security Number. There are a number of reasons why your Social Security Number may come back as unverified; these include:

• The use of (or absence of) a hyphen or apostrophe in your name
• The use of (or absence of) a middle name
• A recent change in name (due to marriage or divorce)
• A new SSN (i.e., the SSN was recently issued)
• No established credit

Seekers who are completing the ID.me process will be directed to Sterling to continue with ID verification by creating a new password meeting the requirements indicated on the page (if you do not already have a Sterling login). You’ll need to check the box to accept Sterling’s terms of use and then click the “Create an Account” button.

You may have already had a background check processed previously with Sterling through a different employer. If you don’t remember your password, you’ll need to reset the password. Click the “I am a Returning User” option near the bottom of the “Create Account” page, then click the “Forgot Your Password?” option and enter your email address. You’ll receive a confirmation email containing a link for resetting your password.

Just reset the password. Click the “I am a Returning User” option near the bottom of the “Create Account” page, then click the “Forgot Your Password?” option and enter your email address. You’ll receive a confirmation email containing a link for resetting your password.

It may take up to two hours for you to receive a confirmation email when resetting your password. If you don’t see the confirmation email in your inbox, be sure to check your junk and spam folders. If you still haven’t received your email after two hours, you can try again by clicking the “I am a Returning User” option near the bottom of the “Create Account” page and requesting another confirmation email. If you continue not to receive a confirmation email, you can reach us via e-mail, phone or contact form. Contact us.