Sterling Talent Solutions Background Check
If you are a candidate for a non-employee position, you may be required to have a background check, per policy 4.15. The university’s exclusive third-party vendor for non-employee screening is Sterling Talent Solutions, and you can complete it online through an invitation link.
The background check minimum standards include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Social Security Number (SSN) Validation with Address History
- National Criminal Database
- County Felony and Misdemeanor (for past seven-year residence history)
- National Sexual Offender Registry Search
Additional requirements such as a motor vehicle check, credit report history, education verification, employment history, reference check, and/or professional licensing/credential verification may be requested if relevant to appointment qualifications.
What to Expect
The Sterling application can be accessed directly online, but it’s important to work with your sponsor or program coordinator to determine if your appointment requires completion of a Sterling background check before beginning this process.
Frequently Asked Questions
All personal data is secured by strong encryption and industry-wide best practices for data security involving Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and an individual’s information is only used for the purposes of conducting a background check. Refer to the Sterling website for more information regarding the Sterling Talent Solutions privacy statement.
An individual who holds a non-employee role with the university, such as a volunteer, consultant, independent contractor, or sponsored guest, is required to self-pay for their background check. The Sterling Talent Solutions background check system will request payment at the end of the application in the form of a debit/credit card. Money orders and checks cannot be accepted.
If the HR Department has agreed to cover the cost of the background check, the individual will not be prompted to provide payment at the end of the application.
On average, a standard background check can complete within 1-3 business days, but there can be extenuating circumstances that may cause delays in the process. The most common delays are related to court closures.
Individuals are required to disclosure felony and misdemeanor criminal conviction offenses, which includes criminal traffic such as OVI, DUI, Hit-Skip. Criminal convictions will not necessarily impact university involvement. Individuals involved with the university must follow the university’s Self-Disclosure of Criminal Convictions Policy, which requires self-disclose of all criminal convictions that occur while employed/appointed at the university.
After the background screening has completed, you may log in to the Sterling portal to print off a copy of the report. Individuals are entitled to a free copy within a 12-month period.
You may reach out to the Sterling Talent Solutions Customer Support department at 888-889-5248 or client.support@sterlingts.com for assistance.