Massachusetts Employment Screening Background Check Services
All employment background check services including instant driving records, pre and post employment drug screening and employment criminal record background checks are available in Massachusetts.
CORI RELEASE FORM
(Criminal Offender Record Information) release required by Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Please also note that this and all other employment background check, drug screening, driving record and state release authorization forms are available in a PDF format file to our Automated Employment Screening Clients.
All of these FCRA compliant release documents may be e-mailed to the applicants and easily completed online.
Updated 05/2020
Pay Equity Law Effective August 2018
Massachusetts recently enacted the “pay equity law” which requires Massachusetts employers to compensate men and women equally based on comparable work.
To comply with the new law, Massachusetts employers no longer may inquire about an applicant’s previous salary history during an employment interview.
The law prohibits Massachusetts employers from asking job applicants about their salary history as part of the screening process.
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito is quoted as saying “this legislation is an important step toward advancing more equal, inclusive and thriving workplaces throughout the commonwealth for women and families”.
Just like “Ban the Box” employers must wait until a formal job offer has been given (which will include compensation) before inquiring about a potential employee’s salary history.
Additionally, the law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who openly discuss their salaries.
In Massachusetts it’s estimated that women earn 82 cents for every dollar a male earned in 2014 (American Association of University Women), the national level is 79 cents to every dollar.
Fast Turn Around Times:
Most employers demand fast turn around times not normally available from the counties in Massachusetts.
Therefore, we recommend using the state criminal record database. (CORI).
The state (or commonwealth) criminal record database (CORI) criminal offender record information is the most comprehensive way to search the state of Massachusetts when conducting a pre employment criminal records background check.
A state specific release is required by Massachusetts and may be obtained by:
Clicking here: NES CORI RELEASE FORM (Criminal Offender Record Information) search for all applicants that have lived in the state of MA within the last seven years.
Employee is now defined to include volunteers, subcontractors, contractors, (and) vendors, and special state, county and municipal employees.
The commonwealth of Massachusetts charges a fee of $25.00 to access the CORI criminal records database system. This fee is added to the regular cost of your search and is paid to the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Turn around times are typically same day to next day.
Our criminal records Smart Search Plus® has become the industry standard for a quality FCRA Compliant criminal records background check in Massachusetts.
It includes an unlimited check of the Federal criminal records repositories in the states where the applicant has lived for the past 7 years.
It also includes a check of any needed state and county criminal records checks as well as a social security number address history trace, a multi-state criminal records database search and a check of of the sex offender registry in all 50 states.
It is the criminal records background check now chosen by most of our clients.
For a brief overview of all of our employment screening services, please Click Here
Arrest:
Employers are prohibited from requesting, making record or using an application to obtain information about an arrest, detention, or disposition for any violation of the law that did not result in a conviction.
Mass. Ann. Laws. ch.21- 151B, §4(9). The Massachusetts Guidelines also prohibit questions about arrests that did not result in a conviction. Mass.
Regs. Code tit.
804 § 3.02.
Conviction: Employers may ask individuals if they were convicted of a misdemeanor with some limitations.
Employers cannot inquire about a first conviction for the following misdemeanors: drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, minor traffic violations, affray or disturbance of the peace.
Employers also are prohibited from asking about any misdemeanor convictions occurring five or more years before the date of the application or interview, or the last day of incarceration (whichever date is later).
If the individual was convicted of any offense within five years preceding the inquiry, then employers may also inquire about misdemeanor convictions more than five years old. Mass. Ann. Laws ch.21- 151B, § 4(9).
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Guidelines provide that an employer can ask prospective employees if they have been convicted of a felony.
Individuals who answer in the negative to any of the prohibited inquiries are immune from liability for perjury and giving false statements. Mass. Ann. Laws ch.21-151B, § 4(9); Mass. Regs.
Written Policy: Employers who conduct five or more criminal background checks per year (either using iCORI or a consumer reporting agency) must maintain a written CORI policy.
A model policy provided by DCJIS can be found here.
Notice/Authorization: Prior to requesting a CORI report through iCORI, an employer must obtain signed authorization from the employee or applicant whose criminal record will be checked.
A sample CORI acknowledgement form can be found here. Employers who use a consumer reporting agency to request CORI must notify the applicant in writing that a consumer report may be used in the employment decision making process and separately obtain the applicant’s written authorization to conduct the background check.
Verification: Prior to submitting a CORI request, the employer must verify the individual’s identity by examining a government-issued identification.
Using CORI or Other Criminal Information: If an employer seeks to question an individual about his/her criminal history or seeks to make an adverse employment decision based on the individual’s criminal history (regardless of whether it uses iCORI or a consumer reporting agency), the employer must:
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notify the individual in person, by telephone, fax, or electronic or hard copy correspondence of the potential adverse employment action;
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provide a copy of the individual’s CORI or other criminal history information to the individual;
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provide a copy of “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act” published by the Federal Trade Commission (if using a consumer reporting agency) to the individual;
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provide a copy of the employer’s CORI Policy, if applicable, to the individual;
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identify the information in the individual’s CORI that is the basis for the potential adverse action;
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provide the individual with the opportunity to dispute the accuracy of the information contained in the CORI or other criminal history information;
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provide the individual with a copy of DCJIS information regarding the process for correcting CORI or criminal records; and
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document all steps taken to comply with these requirements.