Posted by panotary1 on 2/27/13 3:27pm
Msg #458226

Vetting

I'm venting about vetting. In many states in order to be a notary you must not have a criminal record and require a background check. The process of vetting is redundant. I have an NNA background check. And some of my larger clients have required me to get other background checks, which I am now up to 4 different companies. If they didn't give me so much business I wouldn't do it, but it is getting expensive. Talk about overkill! What really gets me is not that a background check is being required of me, it is that the 4 that I already have are not sufficient. They want to use their own company which I highly suspect they receive a fee on. The line has been used on me "we want a third party background check". Last I checked, I'm not conducting my own, the NNA is a third party, as well as one source, and the other gazillion checks I've had done. As a small business, I don't have the money or power to contest this. Does anyone know where we can turn or lobby? Something? I feel this is being abused and that One third party background check should be sufficient.

Reply by Buddy Young on 2/27/13 3:45pm
Msg #458233

The last time a company asked me for a background check, I reminded them that California notaries are background checked by the department of justice and the FBI. They replied to me that I didn't have to have another background check and that they were aware of California requirements.

Before getting a background check remind them that you already have 4 and that might be ok with them. Don't just auomaticaly get another. I refuse to get another one myself.

Reply by panotary1 on 2/27/13 3:50pm
Msg #458237

Definitely Sufficient. In Pennsylvania, they don't have an FBI requirement, but as you said one should be enough. I just don't like being told do it, or you wont get work from us. I think that companies are going to start making partnerships with the background check companies and profiting on this, its only a matter of time. However, a few of my clients offered to pay for them, which isn't so bad.

Reply by A S Johnson on 2/27/13 3:48pm
Msg #458235

And you are using the xyz background check as your standard. What's wrong with the one from this site?
Really you do understand that most seasoned Notaries do NOT care for xyz and consider your reference by thier name as advertizing for them.

Reply by panotary1 on 2/27/13 3:53pm
Msg #458240

Nothing is wrong with the background check on here..just some companies that I have dealt with requested the NNA one for some reason.

Reply by MW/VA on 2/27/13 3:50pm
Msg #458238

This subject of multiple bgc's has been discussed before.

I only have a bgc from here on NR, and don't do biz with NNA anymore. Any co. that wouldn't accept my bgc isn't worth doing business with. IMO it's a money-making game & adds to their profits.
In reality a bgc is only good up to the date it's done. You could murder someone the following day, and it wouldn't appear. ;-) LOL

Reply by panotary1 on 2/27/13 3:54pm
Msg #458241

Re: This subject of multiple bgc's has been discussed before.

Very true. Just another business expense. Wonder how the lowballers stay in business.

Reply by La Trese Breaux on 2/27/13 3:52pm
Msg #458239

I understand how you feel, I was venting about the same thing last week, and the response I received from the forum was suck it up and pay. I want to tell the company that requests my background to see the SOS they have my background.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/13 3:59pm
Msg #458243

"In many states in order to be a notary you must not have a criminal record and require a background check."

Actually... that's not entirely true. Very few states actually require a fully completed background check before issuing a commission. They simply require the application to swear under oath that they do not, in fact, have a criminal record. Whether the state actually follows through on that to verify is questionable, at best.

California, of course, the most strict about it... requiring all notary applicants to pay for fingerprinting and to undergo the DOJ and FBI background screening before they can get their commissions. But that's the only state that goes that far. I know that Minnesota will only conduct background checks on applicants who indicate that they have had some kind of brushes with the legal system or have been investigated with respect to their commissions. If not, I don't think they run the check. I also know that West Virginia does a background check as well. I'm not sure of other states... only because I haven't done the research, but I do know that MOST states don't got that far. In some states, you really only have to be 18, breathing and capable of signing your name.

That's why organizations like the NNA and companies requests these blanket background checks... because there is NO state standard for checking the background of notaries.

Reply by BrotherOwner on 2/27/13 4:15pm
Msg #458247

Marian, please take this in the spirit given. For the record, we practice MIINNESOTA NICE here, and don't need no stinkin BKGs here, lol. CA has more mayhem per minute ( after all, why else does XYZ headquarter there? ) than almost anywhere else, therefore DOJ and FBI necessary.

Reply by Jack/AL on 2/27/13 4:26pm
Msg #458248

A company offered to pay for my BGC.

Got a notice from American Title (Omaha, NE) today that I'll be dropped from its list, if I don't submit to a new BGC at that company's expense. I agreed and comleted the initiation of the BGC. It took perhaps 2 minutes. In the near future, I hope to see many more-favorable comments from my fellow Notaries Public, before I'm offered signings from American Title.

Reply by Darlin_AL on 2/27/13 5:19pm
Msg #458256

Re: A company offered to pay for my BGC.

If it is at the company's expense, the can do one every day. Why would I care? I'm wide open for investigation---and more work.

Reply by A S Johnson on 2/27/13 5:49pm
Msg #458275

Why else is xyz located in CA, because it was The California notary Association.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/27/13 7:07pm
Msg #458300

Re: Vetting - and a little OT

Gee, in what spirit did you say that was given? Didn't sound very nice to me...

Actually, CA has more of EVERYTHING per minute. Out of the 50 states in this country, CA is by far the most populous, with more than 12% of the country's entire population (and over 13% of the nation's economy). Pretty silly to paint us all with the same brush - on anything. I sure wish XYZ would relocate somewhere else, but you can't blame the rest of us for their choices.

I just get real tired of the baseless California bashing that goes on - or any other kind of stereotyping, for that matter. This post just happened to catch me at the height of my frustration, with something even worse than the notary business...

I must have spent more than 1.5 hrs on the phone today (mostly on hold) trying to do some comparison shopping for a simple, routine health test (a bone density scan), only to be told that they can't give me a quote on the procedure itself, just for the "professional services". (It's going to fall under my deductible and I'm going to have to pay for it.) I did learn that you need the facility's tax ID number and the procedure code - which I obtained - but apparently that wasn't good enough for my insurance co. As I was trying to get to a supervisor, I eventually ran out of time. Seems that after 4:00 pm local time I get into a continuous loop in their phone menu system, which stops recognizing the requested voice commands and I can't get a real person. That's on top of the fact that it appears that the call center is in the Philippines...

And we wonder why health care costs are so high! I'll leave it at that, or I'll have to go over to JP. That's worse for my blood pressure than dealing with insurance companies! At least I got caught up on lots of NotRot reading while I was on hold.

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 2/27/13 7:22pm
Msg #458303

Re: Vetting - and a little OT

JanetK, there is a traveling health-related company that does bone scans (DEXA--if that is what you are talking about) and others for a cheap fee. I can get the company name for you if you like. Maybe they are in your state or know another similar company. When they came to our area, they set up shop in a church fellowship hall for the day while people with appointments filed in and out. I didn't need that particular test because I had just gotten one at a clinical trial. I have several clinical trial companies in my phone which I periodically call to see what is coming up. Some of them do really advanced stuff. Usually, besides having a doctor do all the old-fashioned poking and prodding, and have someone look at my medical history, I might get a warning to see my doctor about something, and they always include blood tests, blood pressure checks and EKG's. They also pay me for my time while all of the tests are free. I live in the next county from a major medical center area.

As to background checks, I've had one company mention it. Since I do background checks as part of my services to employers, I wonder if they would let me do my own! Ha.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/28/13 1:28am
Msg #458361

Re: Vetting - and a little OT

Thanks for the info, but there's no shortage of options near me. I can think of at least 3 "senior" communities within the area that I cover, some on the upscale side, so there's lots of practically any type of medical service conveniently close. The challenge is in choosing one. Since I have a fairly high deductible with my health insurance (no medicare for me yet), which I will probably not reach, I'm thinking that I might just go the cash route, which may save me a few hundred dollars. But if I can't get basic facts, I can't make an informed decision. But I will either get that info, or be writing a few letters to people of influence...

As for background checks, that may be a better gig in the future than loan signing! (I think I'll pass, though...)

Reply by CopperheadVA on 2/27/13 7:30pm
Msg #458305

Re: Vetting - and a little OT

<< I just get real tired of the baseless California bashing that goes on >>

I agree. When I moved to VA from CA in 2000, I felt like I went back in time 10 -15 years. When I first arrived in VA and went to the eye doctor, he kept track of his patients on index cards! CA is very progressive and does a lot of things right - CA is on the leading edge of everything. Unfortunately, it also gets bogged down because it is doing so many things.

Actually, I'm thinking of moving back to CA in a couple of years. I still consider myself a California girl.

Reply by Tudi/CA on 2/27/13 11:28pm
Msg #458341

Re: Vetting - and a little OT

I asked the company who did my background screening to write a letter for me, stating that I had been Justice Department/FBI background checked, the date, her company information in case they needed any more information. She also stated that in California, candidates must pass a background check before they can become commissioned by the SOS. Whenever someone asks about proof of a background check, I fax them a copy of the letter...It has worked for me every time.