Deel has partnered with Certn to offer fast and accurate Background Checks to companies.
Deel clients have two options for requesting a background check: they can initiate it before creating a new contract, or request it for an existing worker from their contracts page.
Additionally, clients can request background checks independently, without needing a contract.
Deel offers background checks for the following worker categories:
- Contractors
- EOR (Employer of Record) Employees
- Direct Employees
- Global Payroll (GP) Employees
- PEO Employees (US only)
In this article:
Add a Background Check Without a Contract
Add a Background Check to a New Contract
Add a Background Check to an Existing Contract
What Happens After the Background Check Is Initiated?
Types of Background Checks
Background checks can be requested either as packages or individually. While only one package can be selected per employee at a time, multiple individual checks can be requested simultaneously.
Individual Checks
- Softcheck: Softcheck performs a comprehensive global scan to detect any signs of illicit activity, encompassing fraud and criminal behavior
- Employment Verification: Confirms disclosed work history with current employers’ permission, checking positions and dates based on available records
- Education Verification: Confirms an individual’s education, checking degree, course and attendance dates with the institution or a third party
- Credential Verification: Credential Verification validates professional licenses, certifications, and designations, disclosed by a candidate from the issuing organization
- International Criminal Check: Criminal checks are available in most countries. The price and time needed can differ by country
- Canadian Criminal Check: Criminal checks are available in most countries. The price and time needed can differ by country
- Standard US Criminal Check: Criminal checks are available in most countries. The price and time needed can differ by country
- Pro US Criminal Check: Includes all features of the USA Base Criminal package, plus checks of County Criminal Court records and Federal Criminal Court records in the counties and states where the individual has resided over the past seven years. Additional fees may apply for access to certain jurisdictional or court information
Packages
- Standard Employment Check
- Softcheck
- Employment Verification
- Pro Employment Check
- Softcheck
- Employment Verification
- Education Verification
- Standard US Criminal Check
- Employment Verification
- Standard US Criminal Check
- Pro US Criminal Check
- Pro US Criminal Check
- Employment Verification
- Education Verification
- Pro International Criminal Check
- Employment Verification
- Education Verification
- International Criminal Check
Add a Background Check Without a Contract
Deel offers background checks as a standalone service, allowing clients to request them without needing a worker contract in place.
✅ Step 1 - On the homepage, select the People icon and click on the Background Checks tab
✅ Step 2 - Choose the Individual Checks tab
✅ Step 3 - Select Request to the desired background check type
✅ Step 4 - Choose the option I don’t have an existing contract with this worker and add the required information
Clients will be asked to provide the worker's full name, email address, country of residence and select the legal entity.
✅ Step 4 - Review the information and click Request
Add a Background Check to a New Contract
✅ Step 1 – When creating a new contract, select Add for Background Check
From the People icon, select the People tab and click Add People.
Create a contract on Deel and fill out general info, personal information, and payment details during the contract creation workflow.
In the Benefits and Extras section, click Add for the background check option and choose a package or individual checks.
We will send an email to the contractor or employee within 24 hours informing them that a background check is being initiated.
The contractor or employee will be asked to provide personal details.
- Clients can choose to have background checks automatically included in contracts by default. This can be configured by navigating to Organization Settings > Contract Settings card > Verification tab. By enabling the option to automatically include background checks, one will be initiated whenever a contract is created.
- Additionally, clients can opt to have background checks automatically initiated when an EOR quote is submitted.
- Clients can also specify whether the background checks should apply to the entire organization or only to specific employee groups. They can further select the types of background checks to be included
- Clients can choose to only allow workers (EOR and IC) to sign their contracts after the background check process has been reviewed by the client
✅ Step 2 – Create a Certn account
When clients request a background check, a modal will appear prompting them to create a Certn Account, if they have not already created one for a previous background check request.
For more info on it, please check the How to Set up a Certn Account section below.
Now clients can proceed with the background checks. Background check results will arrive within 24 hours once Certn has received the information. It's not possible to stop the check once it has been initiated.
Add a Background Check to an Existing Contract
✅ Step 1 - Select the background check type
To add a background check to an existing contract, go to the People icon and click the Background Checks tab. Choose between packages or individual checks, select the background check type, and click Request.
✅ Step 2 - Choose the worker
Select the workers from the list or type their names in the search bar. Once selected, click Continue.
Review the information and click Request.
Note: If there are workers with a pending background check, a package containing the same check cannot be requested
If there are no existing background check accounts or previous checks, clients will be directed to the About tab of the background checks page. Click Get Started to begin the process.
How to Set up a Certn Account
When initiating a background check for the first time clients will be asked to create a Certn Account.
✅ Step 1 – Initiate a background check request
✅ Step 2 – Check the service agreement box to allow Deel to provide Certn with the required information
Deel will provide Certn with the company name, email address, phone number, name, and Tax ID (if applicable).
✅ Step 3 – Click Proceed
✅ Step 4 – Provide a Phone Number for a follow-up verification
Once clients submit, they will receive confirmation that the account has been created successfully.
What Happens After a Background Request Is Initiated?
Notification to Contractor or Employee: An email will be sent to the contractor or employee, informing them that a background check is being initiated.
Provide Personal Details: The contractor or employee may need to provide additional personal details for the background check.
Receiving Results: Background check results are typically available within 24 hours once Certn has received all necessary information.
To check the status of the background check, click View All Workers in the Background Checks tab or View Workers under the specific check type.
Most background checks are completed instantly. The Pro US Criminal Check might take up to 24 hours to be completed, and the Credential Verification times will depend on the credential and location.
FAQs
Is Certn certified to perform background checks?
Certn is SOC 2, SOC 3, and ISO 27001 certified, so clients can rest assured that their candidate information is stored securely.
Are contractors or employees informed in their contract that they are subject to a background check?
A standard contract does not specify that a background check may be performed. However, workers will be notified if a background check is being performed.
What happens if a contractor or employee refuses to cooperate with the background check?
A contractor, employee, or candidate is not obligated to provide the information Certn requests in order to complete the background check.
It is the client's decision how to proceed if someone does not cooperate with the background check.
Clients will not have to pay for a background check if a request is canceled within 14 days.
If there is a problem with the background check, who to reach out to for additional support?
Please contact us if clients are experiencing any difficulty. Our agents will be able to assist 24/7