Brakes Plus: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Brakes Plus traces back to founder Larry Pisciotta, a Colorado native who entered the automotive industry in 1966 as the owner of a national chain tire store and had built up 13 locations by the mid-1980s. He sold those stores to pursue a different idea: an auto service center organized around customer service rather than tire volume. In 1990 he opened the first Brakes Plus in Englewood, Colorado, under a philosophy the company still quotes as "people over profit."

The company has since grown into a multi-state chain. Its store locator lists locations in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, with more marked as coming soon. Colorado and Texas carry the heaviest concentration, and the network also reaches metro markets such as Phoenix, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Des Moines, and Cheyenne. The company's stated mission is to give each customer assurance that their vehicle is well maintained through high-quality products and services delivered quickly by a friendly, professional staff.

Brakes Plus is no longer independently owned. The company states that it is part of a family of brands that also includes Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, Mavis, Town Fair Tire, and Tuffy Tire and Auto Service, and its privacy policy directs inquiries to a Mavis corporate address in White Plains, New York. That structure can matter to job seekers, because policies, benefits, and corporate systems at a chain of this type are often set above the individual brand.

Company culture and employee programs:

Brakes Plus staffs its stores with automotive technicians at varying skill levels, service advisors and front counter staff, assistant managers, and store managers, supported by district and corporate teams. The company publishes core values covering integrity, pride of workmanship, quality, teamwork, enthusiasm, friendliness, and continuous improvement, and describes its goal as creating an environment for career-oriented technicians who want to serve customers well. Store services span brake work, alignments, oil changes, and general maintenance and repair, so technician roles range from entry-level maintenance to diagnostics. Pay, benefits, tool requirements, and certification expectations vary by store and role, so candidates should confirm specifics during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the automotive service industry, including Brakes Plus, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, as long as they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires a standalone disclosure, written candidate authorization, and a defined adverse action process before an employer declines a candidate based on report results. Because the chain operates in several states, the specific rules that apply can differ from one location to another.

Brakes Plus is generally reported to run background checks as part of its hiring process, which is consistent with standard practice among automotive service chains. Shop employees take custody of customer vehicles, road test them, handle payments and repair authorizations, and work with lifts and powered equipment, all of which tend to make pre-employment screening routine. The scope of a Brakes Plus background check may vary by position, by store, and by state, and nothing here should be treated as a description of the company's confirmed internal policy.

Exact steps vary by role and location, but the Brakes Plus hiring process typically begins with an online application through the company's careers page or a job board listing tied to a specific store. Candidates who move forward are usually contacted by a store or district manager for a phone screen, followed by an in-person interview at the shop. Technician candidates should expect questions about the repairs they are comfortable performing, their tool set, and any certifications they hold, and some shops include a practical skills assessment. A conditional offer generally precedes any background check or drug screening.

Turnaround depends on which searches are ordered, how quickly courts, motor vehicle agencies, and prior employers respond, and how many jurisdictions a candidate's history touches. Many reports come back within a few business days, while multi-county criminal searches or employment verifications with unresponsive employers can take longer. Candidates who want a fuller picture of what drives these timelines can review background check turnaround times.

The employer decides which searches to include. For a role at an automotive service chain like Brakes Plus, a background check may include some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and authorization forms they receive to see which searches apply to their role.

Lookback windows depend on the search type and the governing state law. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally restricted from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with statutory exceptions for certain higher-salary positions and, in many cases, for criminal convictions. Several states apply stricter limits than the federal baseline, and some restrict reporting of arrests that did not lead to conviction. Driving records follow their own state-specific retention and reporting rules, so a motor vehicle report may cover a different period than the criminal portion of the same file.

Brakes Plus does not publish a detailed policy on applicants with felony convictions, and these decisions are typically made case by case. Employers commonly weigh the nature and seriousness of the offense, how much time has passed, evidence of rehabilitation, and whether the record relates to the duties of the specific job. Many states and localities have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that delay criminal history questions until later in hiring and require an individualized assessment before a record is used to reject a candidate. Applicants are encouraged to answer questions accurately and to be prepared to discuss their history if it comes up.

Candidates are typically asked to review a standalone disclosure and sign a written authorization before any background check is ordered. Expect to provide accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address history, since those details determine which courts and databases get searched. Shop roles usually carry separate requirements as well, such as a valid driver's license, the physical ability to work on a shop floor, and, for technicians, a personal tool set. Providing complete and accurate details up front is the simplest way to avoid delays or mismatched records.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the federal law governing how consumer reporting agencies collect, assemble, and share background check information, and how employers may use it in hiring. Under the FCRA, an employer must obtain written authorization before ordering a report, must provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action based on it, and must give the candidate a reasonable opportunity to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information before a final decision. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance apply to employment screening, see Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Because shop staff regularly move and road test customer vehicles, a driving record often carries more weight in automotive service hiring than it would elsewhere. Employers in this industry commonly require a valid driver's license and may review a motor vehicle report for license status, suspensions, at-fault incidents, and serious violations, and commercial auto insurance terms can influence what is acceptable. Certifications are separate: many shops value or require Automotive Service Excellence credentials at certain skill levels, and an employer may verify those directly with the certifying body rather than through a background report. Candidates should ask the hiring store which license standards and certifications apply and whether the company supports certification testing.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Brakes Plus may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your job application. 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.