PBSA Accreditation vs. Affiliation: What Every Employer Should Know

That quote applies directly to how background screening companies market themselves. The word PBSA appears on the websites of many screening providers — but what it means varies significantly depending on how you read it. Affiliation and accreditation are not the same thing, and the difference matters more than most employers realize.

What Is PBSA?

The Professional Background Screening Association is a nonprofit trade organization dedicated to promoting standards, compliance, and professionalism among consumer reporting agencies. PBSA helps member companies navigate the Fair Credit Reporting Act, stay current with regulatory changes, and maintain practices that protect both employers and job applicants.

Membership in PBSA is open at two distinct levels — and confusing the two is exactly how misleading marketing happens.

Affiliated vs. Accredited

Why Accreditation Matters to You

When you hire a PBSA-accredited screening company, you're not just taking their word for it. An independent auditor has reviewed their operations and confirmed compliance. That has real implications for your business:

• Your candidates' personal information is handled by a company with verified data-protection practices
• The reports you receive are produced to a standard that has been independently confirmed
• The company stays current with FCRA requirements — reducing your exposure to compliance violations
• Clients in regulated industries — healthcare, education, financial services — often specifically require accredited agencies

Research Services Is PBSA-Accredited

Research Services holds full PBSA accreditation — not just affiliation. That means our processes have been independently audited, our FCRA compliance has been verified, and the employers we work with can point to a third-party credential when clients or regulators ask about their screening program.

We've maintained that accreditation alongside three decades of serving Connecticut employers. It's not a marketing checkbox — it's a standard we're held to.