Latest Publications

From Our Blog

Not All Jobs Are Created Equal—Neither Are Their Background Checks

April 18, 2025 When it comes to hiring, one-size-fits-all screening doesn’t cut it. The risks—and legal requirements—tied to a receptionist are vastly different from those tied to a d...

Blaine Smith

7 min read

The Hidden Risks of Hiring: Why Nonprofits Need Smarter Screening

The Biggest Frustrations Nonprofits Face in Screening Volunteers & Employees Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in serving communities, often working with vulnerable populati...

Blaine Smith

5 min read

What Hiring Managers Need to Know About the Background Check Process – A Western Verify Guide

02/17/2025 In today’s competitive hiring landscape, speed matters. The difference between securing top talent and losing them to a competitor often comes down to time. With skilled profe...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

How to Nail the Perfect Exit Interview

How to Nail the Perfect Exit Interview 1/13/ Exit interviews are often overlooked, yet they hold the potential to uncover invaluable insights about your company. When done correctly, t...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

How to Handle a Difficult Employee in 2025 (Without Losing Your Sanity)

Every workplace has that employee—the one who seems to thrive on chaos, misunderstandings, or just an inexplicable desire to make every Monday feel like a full-blown crisis. In 2025, with...

Blaine Smith

6 min read

How to Retain Your Best Employees in 2025: Strategies Backed by Data

How to Retain Your Best Employees in 2025: Strategies Backed by DataEmployee retention is more critical than ever in 2025. With unemployment rates fluctuating and competition for top tale...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Multi-State vs. County-Level Background Checks: Understanding the Gaps in Coverage

October 2024 In today’s interconnected world, ensuring comprehensive background checks has become essential for businesses, landlords, and organizations alike. When it comes to backgroun...

Blaine Smith

5 min read

BCI vs. Private Background Checks: The Tenant Screening Debate for Apartment Associations

October 2024 When it comes to screening tenants, apartment associations have a lot riding on their decisions. From maintaining a safe, community-centered environment to avoiding property...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Employee Engagement and Retention Excellence: How Today’s HR Leaders Are Transforming the Workplace

Employee engagement and retention are more than just buzzwords—they’re critical pillars of organizational success, especially as HR managers grapple with the challenges of today's volatil...

Blaine Smith

6 min read

Should Roommates Be Screened Too? Protecting Your Property and Tenants

Imagine this scenario: your tenant, David, just had his work hours cut and is inviting his friend Rick to help share the cost of rent. Another tenant, Jill, has welcomed her sister Chriss...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

From Clean Slate Laws to AI: The Biggest Background Screening Changes of 2024

In 2024, several significant policy changes in the background screening landscape are worth discussing, especially for HR professionals and organizations aiming to stay compliant: Clean S...

Blaine Smith

2 min read

Skills-First Hiring: How HR Managers Can Harness Its Potential

The old way of hiring, focusing on degrees and career paths, is changing. In 2024, companies are moving to a "skills-first" approach. This means they look at what a candidate can do, not ...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Pay Transparency

Why HR Managers Need to Embrace It in 2024 and beyond In today’s workplace, pay transparency is no longer a fringe issue—it’s becoming essential for companies that want to stay competiti...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

2025 Benefits Changes: What HR Managers Need to Know

As 2025 gets closer, big changes in employee benefits are coming. These changes include higher healthcare costs and more focus on mental health and family benefits. HR managers must plan ...

Blaine Smith

5 min read

Conflict Mediation: Managing Tenant Disputes Without Escalating to Legal Issues

Being a landlord is more than just collecting rent. It includes handling tenant conflicts, neighbor complaints, and lease disputes. If not managed, these can lead to expensive legal battl...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Navigating AI in Hiring: Ensuring Fairness and Transparency in 2024

In today’s HR world, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how we hire. AI tools such as HireVue, Pymetrics and Fetcher, help screen resumes and conduct first interviews. But, there ar...

Blaine Smith

2 min read

Navigating Workforce Challenges in 2024

The Role of Upskilling and Background Screening in Building an Adaptable Team The modern workforce is changing fast, thanks to new tech and economic shifts. By 2027, nearly half of the w...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Understanding the Key Differences Between Pre-Employment and Investigative Background Checks: Why It Matters

Background checks come in two main types: pre-employment background checks and investigative background checks. Each has its own purpose and legal rules. Knowing these differences is key ...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Navigating Data Privacy Regulations in Hiring

How Western Verify Ensures Compliance with CCPA and GDPR In today's digital age, keeping sensitive info safe is key, especially when hiring. Companies must follow strict rules like the C...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

The Hidden Risks of Instant Background Checks: Why You Need Comprehensive Screening

In today's fast world, many companies use instant background checks to speed up hiring. These quick checks might seem convenient but often miss important info. This can lead to big mistak...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

How HR Managers Can Outsmart Fraudulent Job Applications in Today’s Tough Economy

Let’s be real for a second: hiring in today’s world is more complicated than ever. HR managers are juggling a lot, from finding the right talent to ensuring their company stays compliant ...

Blaine Smith

5 min read

Why Screening Employees Who Work in People’s Homes is Critical

Protect Your Customers and Your Business When you send employees into someone’s home—whether it’s a plumber, HVAC tech, house cleaner, or cable installer—you’re not just offering a servi...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

The Hidden Risk in Your HR Department

Are You Protecting Employee Data? Imagine waking up to headlines that your company is under fire for a massive data breach. Your employees' personal details are now online. The legal fin...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Five Things Every HR Manager Should Know:

A Guide to Navigating Today’s Workplace Being an HR manager is more than just paperwork and employee relations. You're key to a company's culture, compliance, and employee engagement. He...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

The AI Revolution in HR: Transforming How We Work

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing HR, making it key for companies to manage their workforce better. It automates tasks and gives deep insights into employee behavior. AI tools like...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Tackling Post-Pandemic Burnout:

The HR Manager’s Guide to Restoring Balance and Well-being The COVID-19 pandemic has passed but has deeply affected the global workforce. HR managers face many challenges, including post...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Why Background Checks Are Essential for Auto Garages

Running an auto garage comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to ensuring the safety and reliability of your team. One of the biggest concerns for garage owners...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

AI Integration in HR: Unlocking the Future of Human Resource Management

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved beyond tech companies and is now a key part of HR in many industries. It's changing how companies handle their workforce, from finding new employees...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

How to Avoid a Landlord's Nightmare: Lessons from a Heartbreaking Story

While being a landlord can be lucrative it also comes with its fair share of difficulties and Glen Jasmer's heartbreaking story provides some real life examples of the worst case scenario...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Employee Engagement: Keeping the Flame Alive

Innovative ideas for remote workers Employee Engagement: Keeping the Flame Alive   Sometimes remote work feels like long distance relationship – out of sight out of mind. But it doesn’t ...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Creating a Supportive Workplace

Three Essential Strategies for HR Managers to Enhance Employee Well-being and Mental Health HR is no longer just about hiring and managing payroll; it is much more. Now, HR professionals...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Transforming Your Workers into a Fired up and Very Busy Workforce

One of the greatest obstacles faced by HR managers in today’s rapidly changing world is creating an enthusiastic, highly engaged workforce. They are known to be more productive, innovativ...

Blaine Smith

5 min read

Transforming Talent Acquisition and Retention: A Fresh Perspective for HR Managers

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, HR managers are on the front lines, tasked with one of the most crucial elements of organizational success: talent acquisition and retentio...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Evicting a Tenant- A landlord’s Worst Scenario

Evicting a Tenant- A landlord’s Worst ScenarioEvicting a tenant is every landlord's worst-case scenario.  Conducting thorough resident checks, including criminal backgrounds, employment h...

Blaine Smith

2 min read

The landscape of marijuana laws in workplaces across the United States continues to undergo profound shifts

What was once a contentious issue has now become a focal point for employers and employees alike, as state and federal regulations wrestle with the complexities of medicinal and recreatio...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Effective Strategies for Managing a Complaining Tenant

Effective Strategies for Managing a Complaining Tenant As a landlord, being fully committed to your rental property is crucial. While emergency calls in the middle of the night for signif...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

The Importance of References in Employment Screening

The Importance of References in Employment Screening A seasoned manager once told me, "The past is the best predictor of the future." This wisdom rings especially true in the context of e...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Eliminating Bias in Employment Screening

Addressing Bias in Background Screening7/2/2024 Background screening stands as a pivotal element in the hiring journey, ensuring that prospective employees align with the requirements of ...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Dealing with a Tenant's Bankruptcy: A Landlord's Guide

Dealing with a Tenant's Bankruptcy: A Landlord's Guide Confronting a tenant's bankruptcy can be challenging for landlords, complicating eviction processes, affecting income streams, and ...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Why Employers Should Embrace Continuous MVR Monitoring in 2024

                                                     ...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

Enhancing the Hiring Experience

In the realm of HR, the time it takes to hire a candidate holds significant weight. Securing a top talent swiftly can often determine the success or failure of both the hiring manager and...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Background Checks: Are Fingerprints Really the Gold Standard?

Fingerprint background checks may be required for certain positions within the federal government, state agencies, or regulated industries. In this blog article, we’ll learn the limitatio...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Beyond the Application: The Value of In-Depth Tenant Verification Processes

In property management, finding reliable and trustworthy tenants is crucial for ensuring a smooth and profitable rental experience. While the initial rental application provides essential...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

From Risk to Reliability: How Tenant Screening Reduces Landlord Liabilities

As a landlord or property manager, the decision to rent out a property comes with inherent risks. From property damage to unpaid rent and legal disputes, landlords face various liabili...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Protecting Assets: Safeguarding Company Resources with Effective Background Screening

Protecting company assets is essential for ensuring long-term success and sustainability. From intellectual property and financial assets to reputation and brand image, organizations m...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Navigating Compliance: Understanding Legal Requirements in Background Screening

Background screening has become a crucial aspect of the hiring process for organizations across various industries. However, with the increasing complexity of legal regulations governi...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Navigating Talent Acquisition in 2024

In today's ever-changing economic landscape, organizations face unprecedented challenges in talent acquisition. With the job market evolving rapidly, HR professionals must adapt their ...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Enhancing Workplace Safety: The Role of Advanced Criminal History Checks

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Morgan Mower

4 min read

The Importance of Education Verifications in Background Screening

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Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Building Trust: How Background Screening Enhances Employee and Customer Confidence

In today's competitive business environment, trust is a critical component of success. Building trust among employees, customers, and stakeholders is essential for fostering strong rel...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

The Power of Data: Leveraging Background Screening

In today's competitive job market, employers face the challenge of making accurate and informed hiring decisions to build successful teams and foster organizational growth. While tradi...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Navigating Employment History Checks in the Job Market

In today's highly competitive job market, employers face unique challenges when conducting employment history checks. With top talent in high demand, employers must carefully navigate ...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Understanding MVR Reports and their Significance in Hiring

Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) reports provide valuable insights into an individual's driving history and behavior on the road. While commonly associated with driver screening for commerci...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Fair Hiring Practices for Candidates with Criminal Histories

In today's rapidly evolving employment landscape, diversity and inclusion have become central pillars of organizational success. As companies strive to cultivate more inclusive workpla...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Common Background Screening Mistakes to Avoid

Background screening is a critical step in the hiring process, providing employers with valuable insights into the qualifications, integrity, and suitability of potential candidates. H...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Navigating Healthcare Sanction Screenings: A Complete Guide

Healthcare sanction screenings are a critical component of the hiring process for healthcare organizations, ensuring the integrity and safety of their workforce and protecting patients...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

5 Common Myths About Background Checks

Background checks are a crucial component of the hiring process, providing employers with valuable insights into the qualifications, character, and integrity of potential candidates. H...

Terek Bergeson

3 min read

Identifying Red Flags: What to Look for in a Background Check

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Morgan Mower

4 min read

Navigating the Background Check Process for Remote Workers

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Morgan Mower

4 min read

Navigating Background Checks: Practical Considerations for Employers

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Justin Leavitt

5 min read

Embracing Continuous Background Screening in Modern Workplaces

In today's fast-paced business environment, traditional approaches to background screening and communication are evolving. As organizations strive to maintain a safe and secure workpla...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

What HR Leaders Need to Know about I-9 Regulations

In human resources (HR), compliance with regulations is paramount. Among the key areas of concern for HR leaders is the I-9 form, a crucial component of the employment eligibility veri...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

3 Signs It’s Time to Change Your Background Check Provider

Are you satisfied with your current background check provider, or are there signs indicating it might be time for a change? As a business owner or hiring manager, the quality and relia...

Morgan Mower

2 min read

Cybersecurity Strategies for the Digital Age

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Justin Leavitt

5 min read

The Emergence of Personalized Service

Are you tired of feeling like just another number to large background screening companies? We understand the frustration small to medium-sized businesses face when it comes to backgrou...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

The Importance of Checking Aliases in Background Checks

The need for thorough background checks has never been more critical. Whether it's for employment purposes, tenant screening, or other vetting processes, verifying an individual's back...

Terek Bergeson

3 min read

The Benefits of Flexible Background Screening Services

The need for trustworthy and reliable information is crucial and selecting the right background screening provider is critical for both employers and landlords. However, the traditiona...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Utah Tenant Screening: A Comprehensive Guide for Landlords

In property management, securing reliable tenants is critical to ensuring rental success. For landlords in Utah, conducting thorough tenant screening is simple but effective step in sa...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Enhancing Rental Security: A Deep Dive into Tenant Background Checks

In property management, ensuring the safety and security of rental properties is crucial. While basic tenant background checks are a standard practice, diving deeper into a prospective...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

The Role of Background Checks in Cultivating Lab Excellence 

In the realm of scientific discovery and healthcare innovation, the integrity and competency of your team are just as critical as the precision of your equipment. Small independent lab...

Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Cost vs. Cost Savings of Running Background Checks

In today's world, where trust is important but sometimes hard to find, running background checks is crucial. Whether you're hiring new talent, onboarding vendors, or screening potentia...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Adverse Action Support: Staying Compliant

In today's fast-paced business landscape, compliance is non-negotiable. Whether you're a small business or a large corporation, navigating regulations can be intimidating. One area tha...

Terek Bergeson

3 min read

Tenant Screening for Property Managers: Best Practices and Tools

As a property manager or landlord, one of the most critical tasks you face is selecting reliable tenants who will not only pay rent consistently but also take good care of your propert...

Morgan Mower

4 min read

Employment Screening for Small Businesses

In the dynamic landscape of small businesses, hiring the right employees is crucial for success. Implementing effective employee screening processes not only ensures a qualified workfo...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Why Verifications Are More Critical Than Ever in the Hiring Process

In today's highly competitive job market, the hiring process has become more complex than ever. Employers are not only seeking qualified candidates but also individuals who align with the...

Justin Leavitt

3 min read

"Ensuring a Safe Workplace: A Guide to Comprehensive Safety Checks"

In today's dynamic work environment, ensuring the safety and well-being of employees is crucial. Employers have a responsibility to create a secure workplace that fosters productivity an...

Justin Leavitt

2 min read

Health Sanction Checks: A Crucial Aspect for Employers

In hiring and talent acquisition, ensuring safety and well-being is paramount. Health sanction checks play a critical role in specific industries. In this blog, we'll explore their signi...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Tenant Screening: Safeguarding Your Rental Property Investment with Western Verify

Investing in rental properties can be a lucrative venture, but it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the key concerns for property owners is ensuring that their investment is p...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Navigating Legal Waters: Employment Screening and the Law

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Justin Leavitt

2 min read

The Benefits of Outsourcing Employee Screening Services

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Morgan Mower

4 min read

The Dos and Don'ts of Employment Screening

Employment screening is a critical aspect of the hiring process, influencing the quality of your workforce and the overall success of your organization. However, navigating the screening...

Terek Bergeson

4 min read

Cybersecurity in the Modern Workplace: A Must-Have Guide

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Justin Leavitt

3 min read

Avoiding Bad Tenants: The Power of Tenant Credit Checks

For landlords, finding trustworthy and responsible tenants is a top priority. The process of selecting the right individuals to occupy your rental property involves thorough evaluation...

Morgan Mower

4 min read

Beyond Background Checks: Workplace Instant Drug Tests

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Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Tenant Screening: A Landlord's Guide to a Reliable Tenant

Finding the right tenant is crucial for landlords looking to maintain a positive and profitable rental property. Tenant screening is a key process in achieving this goal, allowing land...

Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Drug Screenings in the Workplace: Ensuring a Drug-Free Environment

In today's dynamic work environment, ensuring a safe and productive workplace is a top priority for employers. One strategy that has gained widespread adoption is the implementation of d...

Morgan Mower

4 min read

The Link Between Employment and Credit: Understanding Employment Credit Checks

In the hiring process, employers often seek a comprehensive understanding of a candidate's background before extending an offer of employment. One aspect that has gained prominence in rec...

Martin Oshiro

4 min read

Decoding Motor Vehicle Reports: A Guide for Employers

In the fast-paced world of recruitment, employers are constantly seeking effective ways to assess the suitability of candidates for specific job roles. One often overlooked yet crucial t...

Terek Bergeson

4 min read

Making Informed Hiring Decisions

A survey by ResumeLab found that 70% of workers admit to lying on their resumes, and 37% say they do it frequently. The survey, which included 1,900 workers, also revealed that 75% lie...

Morgan Mower

3 min read

Health Sanction Checks: Ensuring a Safe Workplace

Creating a safe and healthy work environment is a top priority for any organization. Employers have a responsibility to protect their employees and customers from potential health risks ...

Morgan Mower

4 min read

Unveiling the Truth: A Comprehensive Guide to Criminal Checks

Criminal background checks have become an essential part of modern hiring and screening processes. They provide valuable insights into a candidate's past, helping organizations make infor...

Blaine Smith

4 min read

The Importance of Employment Screening for Your Business

In today's competitive business world, the success of your company largely depends on the quality of your workforce. Hiring the right candidates is crucial not only for achieving business...

Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Navigating Safe and Sound Hiring: The Importance of Criminal Background Checks

The process of hiring new employees has transcended far beyond assessing candidates' resumes and cover letters. Today, the onboarding of new team members involves various steps to ensure ...

Justin Leavitt

4 min read

Tech Buzz News Article

Original article can be found here By Jenny Rollins and Mark TullisThe founders of Apollo Health Group, a genetic testing company in Draper, have announced the launch of a new endeavor un...

Justin Leavitt

5 min read

Empowering Employers

As the business landscape evolves, so do the regulations and procedures that govern employment eligibility verification. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues t...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Navigating Fair and Inclusive Hiring

In today's dynamic job market, companies are increasingly recognizing the value of diverse and inclusive hiring practices. This includes considering candidates with criminal records who ...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

Understanding the Vital Role of the Fair Credit Reporting Act

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) plays a crucial role in maintaining a fair and balanced system of background and tenant screening. As a startup focused on background screening for e...

Blaine Smith

3 min read

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