Since 2011, lawsuits under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) have risen from a low of 2,469 claims to a high of 4,531 claims — seeing a year-over-year increase of 8.7%. Yikes! However, here at Verified First, we’ve always committed to providing high-quality, compliant products and services to our clients. Our recent accreditation by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) validates this commitment.

What is a PBSA Accreditation?

The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), previously known as the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), sets the industry standard for a single, cohesive Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP).

Through the BSAAP, the PBSA verifies and promotes ethical practices in the consumer reporting and background check industry.

The PBSA accreditation, governed by strict and thorough professional standards, is a globally recognized seal of approval that confirms an employment background screening provider’s commitment to accountability, high professional standards, excellence, and continued institutional improvement. 

As a global organization, the PBSA addresses worldwide screening policies, global data privacy, and background screening in the gig economy. 

Not everyone has the PBSA seal of approval. Background screening providers must adhere to standards prepared by the Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC), including:

• Demonstrating initial and ongoing compliance
• Partaking in detailed desk and on-site audits, completed by a third-party auditor
• Validating visible compliance with policies and processes to the third-party auditor

To renew the accreditation, providers must re-complete the process at the five-year mark to ensure continued compliance.

Why Does This Matter?

Our PBSA accreditation represents our dedication, transparency, and confidence in conducting accurate and compliant screening. 

“We care about the people we serve so compliance is always top of mind here at Verified First,” said Devon Dickinson, CEO of Verified First. “Our PBSA accreditation shows our commitment to providing high standards of service and accurate information.”

The PBSA accreditation shows that we strive to uphold the highest level of integrity in BSAAP industry standards, including:

1. Information Security 
2. Legal and Compliance
3. Client Education
4. Researcher and Data Standards
5. Verification Services Standards
6. Business Practices

Verified First clients, can rest assured that, as their background screening provider, we’ve taken the necessary steps to deliver accurate and reliable information concerning a candidate’s background.