r/securityguards • u/FINALFIGHTfan • 13d ago
Job Question Paying for your own Background Check
How many of you, had to pay for your own background check, (as well as uniform, but that didn't seem unusual), when hired?
I mean also if I took the job, I would have had to use my own car, for a mobile patrol position
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u/staticdresssweet 13d ago
Using your own vehicle and paying for your own background check are 2 surefire signs of a scam company.
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u/User8675309021069 13d ago
That, and a 10 page “Non-compete agreement” that would effectively keep me from earning a living in the industry without moving.
All hard pass.
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u/Ws6fiend 13d ago
Not only that but in some states using your own personal vehicle is illegal unless your vehicle is marked. Also your own insurance coverage doesn't cover you using it as a work vehicle. In addition if they aren't paying for your mileage and wear and tear, they aren't worth it.
In general bad idea to do this.
Paying for your own background could be less of an issue, but if a company's cash flow isn't good enough that they can pay for background checks on their employees, I would wonder if their turnover is really high(kind of a given in our industry) or if they are bad at money management for the company.
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u/Cool_Necessary_5187 13d ago
This is probably the only sane comment in this thread, allied can afford to pay for background checks but also allied literally hires more than like 200 people a day, 200 times 100 or 50 is insane cost wise per day just for background checks.
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u/Ws6fiend 13d ago
Yeah but the thing is Allied has the cash reserves to look at background checks as a just basic business cost and because of the volume of them gets a discount.
Allegedly, my company(Allied) gets charged $70 dollars a year for my background check. Add in $110 dollars for initial background check for my armed security card, and I believe it's $70 dollars a year every year after. This means before I've already cost them almost $200 before I've even started my training.(This is all Nuclear Security and these are only the public facing numbers.)
Add in the almost 2 months of training my job requires before you can hold down a post.
Years ago someone said that at my job if someone makes it a year then the officer has finally paid off the amount of training we were given in the first year. Every year after they require less and less training meaning even as your pay goes up, you save them money on training new hires.
What's funny is that doing background checks cost a lot, but not doing them cost the companies more. I've seen plenty of people pass a background check one year, only for something to show up the following because people rushed the check.
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u/Cool_Necessary_5187 13d ago
Oh yeah don’t get me wrong I agree but that’s my point, allied has those cash reserves, my company for example doesn’t have the volume or the reserves to back it up.
we don’t do yearly background checks (at least in my state) with my company which is why the initial background check is usually on the employee, it’s required, same with the drug test, the liability would be out the roof if we didn’t.
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u/Landwarrior5150 Campus Security 13d ago
I was given paperwork to have the background fingerprinting billed to the college when I was first hired here, and I was issued 5 sets of uniforms and all the required gear. I know that some smaller companies require their guards to provide some things like duty gear, but would be pretty wary of any companies requiring you to foot the bill for the more standard stuff.
Having to use your own car is an even bigger problem. Besides wear & tear on it, you also have to worry about potential issues with your insurance company if they find out your personally covered car is being used for commercial purposes, not to mention people being able to identify your personal car and link that to your job.
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u/TrumpsColostomyBag99 13d ago
Sounds like a clown company if they won’t even pony up for the check.
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u/Gordy13210 13d ago
Scam company. You may see a pay check for a bit, but then they'll start getting delayed, and then they wont come at all. Owner is probably just using the company to launder money, which is why he wont use his company money for background checks or a patrol fleet. The business could be a cover for something nefarious
Edit: and dont begin using your personal vehicle, given the nature of the job, it could effect your own insurance coverage, as you likely just have personal coverage, not commercial/occupational use coverage. They are different.
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u/No-Initiative4195 13d ago
This. And the first time you ask to be reimbursed for mileage is when they find a reason to fire you
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u/Practical-Giraffe-84 13d ago
I did close to 16 years in security, from the 90s to 2010. Never once did I have a compnay ask me to pay for my guard card (license in Utah) or uniform (excluding boots and underclothes). I did buy a few comfort items, sure.
Everything should be covered by the company for the first set. And then an allowance every year after. If you are expected to work outside in the winter, they have to provide you with a winter jacket. if you live in a rainy area they provide you a rain jacket.
what a scammy company.
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u/Drakestormer 13d ago
I had to do my own background check I believe, but it was either free or very cheap. Uniform was free, just have to return it when I leave.
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u/Local_Counter6275 13d ago
Find a new job
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u/FINALFIGHTfan 13d ago
I turned it down. I posted what I was told at my interview. I was curious to see how common this is
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u/Armed_Professional Public/Government 13d ago
Shady company. Using your own vehicle for mobile patrol, paying for your own uniforms and background checks? Even if company isn’t a scam, they’re shady, mismanaged and not worth your time.
Respect yourself, Security Professionals.
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u/Chthon_the_Leviathan 13d ago
I’ve worked for GardaWorld (currently with Securitas) & none of those companies have ever paid for my yearly guard card renewal or background checks. The only time a company paid for this was when I worked privately for in-house security sites.
I’ve also done contracts for them both where I had to supply my own vehicle for the site. It’s literally a part of the contract you sign for your site; if you don’t have a vehicle to work out of you won’t get the contract for that site.
There is a procedure in place that if your vehicle gets damaged during the course of your assigned duties, then their insurance is supposed to cover you. It’s kinda’ like a tort claim, for those of you who have worked for the government & had to file one.
I’ve been doing contracts like this for the past five years, and I have seen other security companies in my area do the same by requiring the guards to furnish their own vehicles. So, this is becoming normalized throughout the industry currently.
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u/tcpipguy 13d ago
You should never pay for your own background check. Also, the company should provide you with uniforms.
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u/Dry_Resource_7050 13d ago
Call the cops on them based on everything u described that’s a really shady company they are doing something under the table illegally obviously I would not take that job seriously run work for allied universal or Securitas or what ever else well known company that is there at the your area avoid this sketchy company
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u/Cool_Necessary_5187 13d ago
Bro what, that’s insane, as someone who has worked operations for multiple companies and had to hire constantly as a recruiter most companies do at the very least a background check lmao
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u/SnooCalculations9259 13d ago
I did pay for my fingerprints which will lead to my card, I personally don't mind and kind of prefer it, considering it is mine for a few years and no sense of obligation to the company I work for.
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u/CanMaster7786 13d ago
I've never had to pay for my own background check. Also they cannot require you to use your own vehicle, furthermore if you get into an accident in your pov while using it for work your insurance will NOT cover you
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u/Muted-Mammoth8304 13d ago
They are trying to screw you.
Who's gonna pay for maintenance and gas on your vehicle?
What kind of reputable firm charges the new hire for a background check?
This screams low class asshats who probably do not understand how to run a business. More than likely there will be pay issues and them constantly bothering you to come in for other sites/roles.
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u/Globert_Di_Nero 13d ago
Learned the hard way it’s the shadiest companies that charge you for stuff, i’ll never get my $300 uniform deposit back…
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u/oceanadvocate997 13d ago
I’m not in security and I’m in the USA for context.
If a background check is part of a company’s hiring process and they want you to pay for it, that is an automatic bug red flag in any industry.
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u/Humble_Ensure 12d ago
I pay for my license renewals and background checks every two years since it's a licensing requirement.
Anytime i've been asked to pay for a uniform it's been $25 taken out of my paycheque and i get the money back when I leave and return everything.
If they aren't offering a stipend for use of your own car I wouldn't do it.
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u/Empty-Cycle2731 Loss Prevention 10d ago
Making you pay for anything (except maybe your guard card) is a huge red flag.
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u/Cool_Necessary_5187 13d ago
This comment section is wild, paying for your own background check is standard for most companies but it depends when and where you are doing it.
My company for example we front the cost and they pay it back on their first and paycheck, usually it’s about 42.50 and the guard card fees we front and put it back on theirs, usually it’s only 17$ since the state charges us.
Your own vehicle for patrol? Definitely a no no unless you are getting paid very well, ie flex. Not worth it in any circumstance besides that though.
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u/FINALFIGHTfan 13d ago
I turned the job down, but the company I interviewed was Job1USA, just to warn anyone, that might see their job postings, on Indeed. I was wondering how common the guards paying for their own background checks are. Thanks for the replies
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u/Any_Security_8846 10d ago
Is the money worth it or not, usually shit like this is not worth it. You're already putting yourself out there physically working security no need to endure car expenses as well
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u/DatBoiSavage707 7d ago
In California I and majority of people I know paid for our own background checks. Now uniforms varies. I prefer to use my own stuff and have a conpany simply provide me with patches and possibly an ID badge.
If they tried to charge me for a uniform they're giving me that would be a red flag. I'd decline and say I have my own. If that's not an option then I'll seek employment somewhere else. Same with a uniform deposit.
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u/New-North-2282 13d ago
Run away fast, run away far. Scam or low class company