Aya Healthcare: Company Profile & Background Check FAQs

Aya Healthcare was founded in 2001 by Alan Braynin and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Braynin, who led the company until his death in 2025, built Aya around the idea of applying a technology-driven, exchange-based model to travel nurse staffing, pairing a digital platform with recruiters and support teams. Following his passing, the company announced Emily Hazen as chief executive officer.

The privately held company describes itself as the largest healthcare talent software and staffing company in the United States, and industry analysts have reported that it holds a leading share of the country's travel nursing market. Its offerings span travel nursing and allied health assignments, per diem shifts, locum tenens placements for physicians and advanced practitioners, permanent placement, interim leadership, and workforce management software that health systems use to run their own contingent labor programs.

Aya connects clinicians with assignments at hospitals, health systems, and other care settings nationwide. Its workforce includes thousands of corporate employees, such as recruiters, credentialing specialists, account managers, and software engineers, alongside the large population of nurses, therapists, technologists, and physicians who take assignments through the platform. Travel clinicians typically work as employees of the agency while on assignment, which places responsibility for screening and credentialing on the staffing company as well as the facility.

Company culture and employee programs:

Aya Healthcare emphasizes speed and service in matching clinicians to assignments, with recruiters and credentialing teams guiding candidates through licensing, compliance, and onboarding requirements. Travel clinicians are commonly offered benefits such as medical coverage and housing support while on assignment, though pay packages and benefits vary by role, specialty, location, and contract. Corporate employees work in functions ranging from technology and sales to clinical compliance. Candidates should confirm the details of any offer during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the healthcare staffing industry, including Aya Healthcare, are legally permitted to conduct background checks on candidates, provided they follow applicable federal, state, and local laws. Screening performed by a consumer reporting agency is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which sets rules for disclosure, consent, and adverse action. In healthcare, background checks are often not just permitted but expected: facilities, state health departments, and accrediting bodies commonly require staffing agencies to screen and credential clinicians before they begin an assignment.

Aya Healthcare is generally reported to conduct background checks and credentialing as part of its onboarding process, consistent with standard practice across healthcare staffing. Clinicians work directly with patients and controlled substances, and client facilities typically require documented screening before granting access. The exact components of an Aya Healthcare background check may vary by role, specialty, state, and the requirements of the specific facility where a clinician will work.

For clinicians, the process typically starts with creating a profile or applying to a specific assignment, followed by conversations with a recruiter about specialties, licensure, and preferences. Once a facility extends an offer, candidates move into credentialing, which commonly includes license and certification verification, employment and education verification, a background check, drug screening, and health records such as immunizations and a physical. Assignments generally cannot begin until all compliance items are cleared. Corporate applicants follow a more traditional path of application, interviews, and a pre-employment background check after a conditional offer.

Timelines vary with the searches ordered, the responsiveness of courts, licensing boards, and former employers, and the number of jurisdictions in a candidate's history. Many reports are completed within a few business days, but healthcare credentialing adds steps such as license verification and facility-specific requirements that can extend total onboarding time. Candidates can read more about background check turnaround times.

Screening components are chosen based on the role and facility requirements. For a clinical assignment through a staffing company like Aya Healthcare, a background check may include some or all of the following:

Candidates should review the disclosure and consent documents provided during credentialing to understand which searches apply to their assignment.

The lookback window depends on the type of search and the laws of the relevant state. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies generally cannot report most negative information older than seven years, though criminal convictions can often be reported further back and exceptions exist for certain higher-salary roles. Several states apply stricter rules, and some healthcare facility or state health department requirements define their own review periods for patient-care personnel.

Aya Healthcare does not publish a detailed public policy on candidates with felony records, and outcomes are typically decided case by case. In healthcare staffing, the decision often depends not only on the agency but also on state licensing boards, facility policies, and exclusion list checks, since certain convictions can affect licensure or eligibility to work in federally funded healthcare programs. Factors such as the nature and age of the offense and its relevance to patient care usually carry the most weight. Many states and cities have "ban-the-box" laws that limit when criminal history questions can be asked. Candidates with records should be accurate and forthcoming, especially on licensing paperwork.

Candidates are typically asked to sign a disclosure and consent form before a background check is run. Clinicians should be prepared to provide accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address history, along with licenses, certifications, work history, references, and health documentation required for credentialing. Some states require fingerprint-based checks for healthcare workers. Accurate and complete paperwork is one of the biggest factors in starting an assignment on time.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. It requires written consent before an employment background check is ordered, a copy of the report and a summary of rights before any adverse action is taken based on the results, and an opportunity for candidates to dispute inaccurate information. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance shape employment screening, visit this introduction to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Aya Healthcare may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your application or credentialing file. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters, hiring managers, or potential employers.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.