Confidentiality Policy...

References-etc. is strongly committed to protecting your privacy. It is our policy never to disclose who hired us, or to provide third parties with information about you except what is necessary to conduct your investigation.

When contacting a reference, we do not identify ourselves as References-etc., nor do we identify you as the person initiating the reference check. During all correspondence, we use an established D.B.A. name, correspondance address, fax and phone number. We introduce the nature of our call just as any other hiring employer would.

Occasionally, an employer will ask for information about our company. In those cases, we very honestly tell them we provide employment and rental screening services for a numerous companies and clients (in this instance, you are our client). In the extremely rare occasion that they ask us to reveal client identity, we explain that our confidentiality policy prevents us from disclosing this information.

You can rest assured that your identity will never be disclosed.

Timeliness...

References-etc. understands the necessity for timeliness and we strive to conclude all reference investigations within three to five business days from the receipt of your order. However, turnaround time ultimately depends on the availability of your reference. In the unlikely event that your investigation takes longer than five business days, we will keep you updated by e-mail.

It is important to remember that we use the same procedures as prospective employers when contacting your references. We will attempt to contact a reference four times. If the reference fails to return our calls after the fourth attempt, we will contact the HR department to complete the interview. If, at the end of the day, your references prove difficult or impossible to contact, you will then have a clearer idea as to why you may have been passed over for jobs - your references were simply unable or unwilling to verify your information.

If we discover that a reference is on an extended leave such as a vacation or medical absence, we will place your reference on hold until their return. If the reference no longer works for the company, we will contact the Human Resources Department to complete the interview.

Refund policy...

At References-etc. we want you, our client, to get exactly what you pay for. With this in mind, we strongly recommend that you check your reference information, including phone numbers, before you submit your order. This will greatly reduce your investigation length and increase the accuracy of your assessment. It is also important to choose an appropriate level of service. The standard employment reference investigation is recommended for those who prefer us to contact the Human Resource Department. If you wish us to contact a former supervisor, then you can opt for either the standard or comprehensive reference investigation.

We are unable to refund your money due to outdated or incomplete information. However, if we cannot reach one of your references, we will contact the Human Resource Department to complete your investigation, as would any prospective employer faced with the same situation.

Since part of the service that we provide is targeted at identifying those references that, because of policy or opinion, refuse to answer questions about you, References-etc. cannot issue a refund if a reference refuses to discuss your employment history.