Rumpke: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Rumpke's history dates back to 1932, when founder William F. Rumpke ran a junkyard and coal delivery business in Cincinnati, Ohio. In an era when customers often bartered goods for services, one customer paid William with six young pigs; he fixed up old trucks from the junkyard and enlisted relatives to search for garbage to feed the pigs, an unusual origin story that eventually grew into a waste collection business. As metal recycling became valuable during World War II, William established one of southwestern Ohio's first recycling operations in 1941, with trucks dumping waste into a pit where workers sorted tin, aluminum, and reusable materials.

By 1945, the growing business needed a new home, and William moved his hog farm, recycling, and junkyard operations to an 80-acre property in Colerain Township, just north of Cincinnati, a site that would later become Rumpke's corporate headquarters and the Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, now the largest municipal solid waste landfill in Ohio. William J. Rumpke, who began helping his father collect trash at just five years old, later purchased the company alongside his cousin Tom Rumpke, expanding Rumpke's commercial services and growing the company into multiple states. Rumpke Recycling was officially developed as a distinct business line in 1989 with the purchase of a large recycling operation in Circleville, Ohio, building on the company's long history of material recovery.

The Rumpke family has continued to lead the company across multiple generations, with Bill Rumpke Jr., grandson of founder William F. Rumpke, becoming chief operating officer in 2002 and president and CEO in 2014 after decades working his way up through the business, including as a driver. In 2017, Rumpke broke ground on a new $24 million, 74,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Colerain Township, and in 2024 the company opened the Rumpke Resource & Recycling Center in Columbus, Ohio, a $100 million, 226,000-square-foot facility billed as the largest and most technologically advanced recycling facility in North America, featuring AI-powered sorting technology.

Today, Rumpke remains a family-owned and operated business, employing nearly 3,000 to 4,000 people and operating dozens of landfills, recycling centers, and transfer stations across its Midwest service territory. The company has been recognized as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal for seven consecutive years, earning Platinum status in 2026, and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Rumpke's workforce includes waste collection drivers, recycling facility sorters and equipment operators, landfill and transfer station personnel, and fleet maintenance technicians.

Company culture and employee programs: Rumpke states its mission as delivering exceptional waste and recycling solutions through a commitment to safety, service, the environment, and the growth of its people. As a multi-generational family business, Rumpke emphasizes long-term community investment and environmental stewardship dating back to its founder's earliest recycling efforts in the 1940s. Benefits, training, and advancement opportunities can vary by role and location, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the waste management and recycling industry, including Rumpke, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Rumpke is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for waste and recycling employers, particularly for CDL driver roles operating collection trucks and heavy equipment.

The hiring process for driver and facility positions at Rumpke typically includes an application, verification of a commercial driver's license for driving roles, an interview, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a waste and recycling role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though DOT/FMCSA regulations for commercial drivers involve additional federal requirements and may extend this timeframe.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role, with federal regulations imposing specific restrictions on certain offenses for CDL holders. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements. Driver roles typically also require a valid CDL.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Rumpke may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Rumpke or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.