What is CORI?
In Massachusetts, employers can access the CORI statewide database to research potential criminal records. Some industries, such as healthcare companies, must use CORI in their pre-employment screening process.
What information does CORI contain?
CORI is a name-based search of criminal information about crimes investigated and prosecuted in Massachusetts. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) maintains CORI. CORI doesn't have all records and case information from Massachusetts courts.
Checkr searches might cover the same information contained in CORI, depending on the comprehensiveness of the national search and address history for each candidate, but the information might not be identical.
Does Checkr include CORI in background checks?
By Massachusetts regulation, CRAs aren't allowed to use CORI unless the employer authorizes the CRA to be the “decision maker” on whether to hire the individual.
Employers usually access CORI separately from a background check report. If the law requires your company to search CORI, you must do so in addition to your Checkr search.
What else is required for CORI searches?
You must obtain a signed acknowledgment form from the employee or candidate authorizing you to access the records. Additionally, you must enter into an “iCORI Agency Agreement” for continued access to the database.
You can't keep CORI records for more than seven years after a date below:
- The employee’s last date of employment
- The date of the final decision not to hire a candidate
You must store paper copies of CORI in locked and secured locations, and password-protect and encrypt electronic copies.
What is PATCH?
PATCH is a Pennsylvania State Police Background Check you can access from the PATCH website.
How does PATCH work?
PATCH is a nonreportable pointer search that you can add to a package with a state search. If you set PATCH as your preferred Pennsylvania search, you can access the PATCH portal to retrieve the necessary documentation after the state search completes. Checkr can't directly show you the PATCH report.
How does PATCH appear on my candidate's report?
If you add PATCH to a package, the report links to the PATCH website, where you can enter the candidate's information to open their certification.
How does PATCH work with my criminal searches?
You can't order PATCH as a standalone search. You must order PATCH through the Pennsylvania state search. You can order PATCH only for candidates who currently live or previously lived in Pennsylvania.
Is there an additional cost for PATCH?
In addition to your package fee, there is a passthrough fee of $22.
How do I add PATCH to my account?
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has a specific set of requirements you must meet before they grant drivers in their state access to motor vehicle records (MVRs). The requirements include a guarantee that you'll use the background reports only for pre-employment purposes.
Fewer than 20 Pennsylvania MVR reports annually
To more quickly onboard PA drivers, you can have your candidates obtain their driving records directly from PennDOT. Candidates can visit the PennDOT Individual Driving Record page to request a copy of their MVR. This process will not result in a Checkr PA MVR report and is entirely outside of Checkr.
If you're ordering other searches about the candidate, you can send a new invitation using a package without an MVR report. If you need help creating a package, contact Checkr.
More than 20 Pennsylvania MVR reports annually
To access the state's records, Checkr needs to set up a PennDOT account for you, which takes 4-6 weeks. Contact Checkr to begin this process.