What HireRight does and who uses it

HireRight is a background check company that employers hire to investigate job candidates before making hiring decisions. The company pulls information from public records, court databases, and other sources to create a report that shows an applicant's criminal history, employment verification, education verification, and sometimes driving records or credit information.

HireRight operates in all 50 states and handles background checks for thousands of employers across industries — retail, healthcare, finance, transportation, and others. When you explore for a job, the employer may use HireRight instead of doing the background check themselves. You will not pay HireRight directly; the employer pays them.

The company is owned by Altisource Portfolio Solutions and is one of the largest background check providers in the United States. If an employer tells you they use HireRight, it means your information will go through their system before the employer makes a final decision.

Key Takeaways

  • HireRight searches public criminal records, court databases, employment history, and education records — what they find depends on what the employer paid them to search for.
  • You have the right to see what HireRight reports about you before the employer sees it, and you can dispute any information you believe is wrong.
  • A HireRight background check is not the same as a credit check or a full financial investigation unless the employer specifically paid for those add-ons.
  • If HireRight reports something that causes you to lose a job offer, the employer must tell you that a background check was the reason and give you a chance to respond.
  • Errors in HireRight reports are common — old cases, dismissed charges, or records from someone with a similar name — so checking your own report before explore is worth the time.

What information HireRight searches for

HireRight's standard background check includes a criminal history search that looks for felonies and misdemeanors in state and county court records. The search covers the counties where you have lived, worked, or studied in the past seven to ten years, depending on what the employer requested. This is the most common part of any HireRight report.

The company also performs employment verification, which means they contact your previous employers to confirm you actually worked there, in the role you claimed, for the dates you listed. They verify your job title, dates of employment, and sometimes your reason for leaving. If a previous employer no longer exists or will not respond, HireRight will note that in the report.

Education verification is another standard search. HireRight contacts schools and universities you listed to confirm you attended and earned the degree or credential you claimed. This catches false claims about college degrees or certifications.

Beyond these three, employers can pay for add-ons: a driving record check (for jobs involving vehicles), a sex offender registry search, a credit check (for positions handling money), or searches of specialized databases like the Office of Inspector General list or the Excluded Parties List System. The employer decides what HireRight searches for, so your report will only include what they paid to investigate.

How long HireRight takes and what you see

A standard HireRight background check usually takes three to five business days, though some reports come back in one or two days if all sources respond quickly. Employment and education verification can take longer if schools or previous employers are slow to respond. You should ask the employer how long they expect the process to take.

Before HireRight sends the report to your employer, the company must send it to you first under federal law. You will receive a document called a disclosure that explains what HireRight is about to search for, and you will sign or consent to it. After the report is complete, HireRight sends you a copy so you can see exactly what they found before your employer does.

This is your chance to spot errors. If HireRight reports a criminal case that was dismissed, a job you never held, or a degree from a school you never attended, you can dispute it in writing. HireRight must investigate your dispute and correct the report if you are right. This process usually takes a few days to a week.

Common errors in HireRight reports

HireRight reports often contain mistakes because public records are messy and databases do not always talk to each other cleanly. A common error is reporting a case that was dismissed or expunged. If you were arrested but the charges were dropped, or if a conviction was later overturned or sealed, HireRight may still show it because the original arrest record is public even if the outcome was favorable to you.

Another frequent problem is name confusion. If you have a common name, HireRight's search may pull up a criminal record or employment history belonging to someone else with the same or similar name. The report should include enough detail (date of birth, address, case number) to tell the records apart, but sometimes it does not.

Employment verification errors happen when a previous employer goes out of business, moves, or straightforward does not respond to HireRight's inquiry. HireRight may mark the job as "unverified" rather than confirmed, which can raise questions even though you worked there. You can provide pay stubs, offer letters, or references to clear this up.

Education verification failures occur when schools have outdated records, when you attended under a different name, or when the school's registrar is slow to respond. Some schools charge a fee to verify degrees, which can delay the process. If your school is slow, you can provide a diploma, transcript, or official letter from the school directly to the employer.

What happens if HireRight reports something negative

If HireRight's report includes information that the employer uses to reject you, federal law requires the employer to tell you that a background check was the reason. The employer must provide you with a copy of the report and a document called a pre-adverse action notice that explains what HireRight found and gives you a chance to respond before the employer makes a final decision.

You then have the right to contact HireRight directly to dispute any information in the report. You can also contact the employer to explain the context — for example, if the report shows a misdemeanor from ten years ago, you can tell the employer about the circumstances and what you have done since. The employer is not required to hire you, but they must consider your response before rejecting you.

If the employer rejects you and you believe HireRight's report was wrong, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your state's attorney general. You can also request that HireRight conduct a reinvestigation of the disputed information. HireRight must complete this reinvestigation within 30 days.

How to check your own HireRight report before explore

You can request a copy of your HireRight background report even if you have not applied for a job yet. Visit HireRight's consumer disclosure website (search "HireRight consumer disclosure" online) and follow the steps to request your report. You will need to provide your name, date of birth, and address. HireRight will mail or email you a copy of what they have on file.

Checking your report before you explore for jobs gives you time to dispute errors and get them corrected. If you find a dismissed case, an old address, or a job you never held, you can contact HireRight to correct it. This takes time, but it is better to fix mistakes before an employer sees them.

Keep in mind that the report HireRight sends you in response to your request may not be identical to the report they send to an employer, because the employer may have paid for additional searches (like a driving record or credit check). But the core information — criminal history, employment, and education — will be the same.

Your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act

HireRight is regulated as a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law that gives you specific rights. The employer must tell you in writing that a background check will happen and get your permission before HireRight searches. HireRight must then send you a copy of the report before the employer sees it.

If the employer decides not to hire you based on the background check, they must give you a pre-adverse action notice that includes a copy of the report and tells you how to contact HireRight if you want to dispute it. You have the right to dispute any information you believe is wrong, and HireRight must investigate your dispute at no cost to you.

You also have the right to know if the employer is using information from the background check in a way that violates the FCRA — for example, if they use it to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. If you believe HireRight or the employer violated your rights, you can file a complaint with the FTC or sue in court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can HireRight see my social media or personal online activity?

No. HireRight's standard background check does not include social media searches or monitoring of your online activity. They search public court records, employment databases, education records, and driving records. If an employer wants to search your social media, they do that separately and outside of HireRight's system.

How far back does HireRight search for criminal records?

HireRight typically searches the past seven to ten years, though this varies by state and by what the employer requested. Some states limit how far back employers can look at criminal records by law. Very old convictions may not appear in the report even if they are technically public record.

What if HireRight reports a case that was expunged or sealed?

Sealed and expunged records should not appear in a background check, but they sometimes do because public databases are not always updated when a case is sealed. If HireRight reports a sealed or expunged case, dispute it in writing and provide a copy of the court order that sealed or expunged the record. HireRight must correct the report.

Can I see what the employer sees in my HireRight report?

Yes. Before the employer sees your report, HireRight must send you a copy. The report the employer receives may include additional searches (like a driving record) that you requested a copy of, but the core information will be the same. Ask the employer what searches they requested so you know what to expect.

What should I do if I disagree with something in my HireRight report?

Contact HireRight directly and file a written dispute. Include copies of documents that prove the information is wrong — a court order, a diploma, a pay stub, or a letter from a previous employer. HireRight must investigate your dispute within 30 days and send you the results. If HireRight agrees you are right, they will correct the report and send a corrected version to the employer.