Background checks help you stay compliant with all of the various local, state, and federal compliance regulations. Checkr helps make the process easy and has specific packages for faith-based communities. This seamlessly integrated background check process happens from right within Planning Center.
Tip
If you use a different provider or already have background checks on people in your database, you can manually track background checks instead of initiating a new check through Checkr.
Important
To access background checks, you must have background check permissions.
Once you've enabled Checkr in Accounts, you can request a single background check, or you can request multiple background checks at one time.
If the person doesn't have an email address, they will not receive the email to give permission for their background check. Enter their email address in their profile, and then run their background check.
Caution
If you initiate a background check in Checkr, it will not show up in People. To track background checks in People, you must initiate them in People.
From a person's profile page, click Add Background Check from the security badge dropdown.
From the Dashboard, click the Background Checks tab to order multiple background checks at once.
Click New background check.
Search for the people you'd like to run a background check on and click Next once you'd added them to your list.
Tip
You can also run background checks for multiple people at once through a bulk action or automation.
If you have a custom package with Checkr or are using Account Hierarchy, you'll see an option to assign the background check to a node first.
Use the dropdowns to choose the appropriate options.
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Choose the background check package you'd like to order.
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Choose the location, based on the Church Information in Accounts.
Click Next, and then verify the email address listed. Click Initiate Check to send an email with the next step.
Caution
There isn't a way to cancel a background check in People, but you can cancel it in Checkr.
Checkr only charges for completed background checks; there is no cost for sending out invites. Checkr sends a notification each day for seven days or until the application is filled out.
If you receive an "Invitation couldn't be created" error that prohibits you from running a background check, it's likely because your Checkr account has been suspended. To lift the suspension, make sure your invoices are fully paid and have no other issues.
If the invoices are all listed as Paid , but you're still getting an error message, email Accounts Receivable with the following information:
Subject: Account Suspended
Body: Our Checkr account has been suspended, though all our invoices are showing as Paid. If any are not paid, please send me a link to pay them.
Include the following:
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Company Name
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URI Name
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Billing Email
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Technical contact email
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A screenshot of your Invoice page with the invoices listed as Paid
Once you have resolved any account issues with Checkr, try to initiate the background check again.
After the person verifies from their email, Checkr will begin their background check, searching various databases and courthouse records to screen your candidate. This usually takes about two business days but could take up to a few weeks depending on what courts are being searched and their search request process times.
You can get the Checkr results from a person's profile.
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From the background check dropdown, click View details.
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Click Checkr to be taken to Checkr's website.
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Log in with your Checkr credentials.
Once Checkr has completed its search, it will compile a report with the results, and mark the report as clear, consider, or suspended.
Note
Your ability to view results depends on your background check permissions.
Checkr does not make any judgment calls about who is qualified to serve in your ministry. They will only provide information about anything that appears on the records of the person, so you can make an informed decision; therefore, a report will be marked consider if anything is found in the person's records, regardless of the severity of what is found.
You can see any reports marked as Consider by filtering to that Status.
If the report is marked consider, the contact person for Checkr will receive an email, and they can view the report in Checkr to make a decision on how to proceed.
If you decide to proceed with either hiring or allowing the person to volunteer, despite what was found in their background check, click Engage in Checkr. Their background check status will be cleared and set to Engaged in Planning Center.
If you decide not to proceed with a person because of information contained in their background check, read about the process by the EEOCC. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that the person is given a copy of their background check report and is given an opportunity to dispute anything in it.
Checkr handles disclosures and disputes for you. In the Checkr interface, click Pre-Adverse Action from the report to initiate the adverse action process.
These requirements apply for volunteers as well job applicants, according to the FTC.
If a background check comes back as suspended, this means that Checkr was unable to complete the background check. A Checkr Admin will need to log into Checkr directly and take steps to resolve a suspended report.