Spherion: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Spherion's origins trace to 1946, when Leroy Dettman and Joseph Perfetto founded City Car Unloaders in Chicago. The company later changed its name to Labor Pool, then entered the healthcare staffing market to form Medical Personnel Pool, with its industrial and clerical divisions eventually renamed Personnel Pool of America (PPA). PPA became a subsidiary of H&R Block, Inc., which later acquired Interim Services Corporation and merged it with PPA, renaming the combined organization Interim Services, Inc. Interim Services was subsequently spun off by H&R Block and began trading publicly on NASDAQ.

In a significant 1999 merger, Interim Services acquired Norrell Corporation, a temporary employment company founded by Guy Millner (a two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate) that served major clients including Coca-Cola, UPS, and IBM, in a $553 million stock deal. The merger gave Interim Services nearly 400 new offices and made it the third-largest temporary staffing company in the United States at the time, trailing only Manpower and Kelly Services, while also adding a $300 million outsourcing and call center business. Interim Services subsequently changed its name to Spherion Corporation at the dawn of the 21st century.

Spherion has continued operating as a staffing and recruiting pioneer, now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and organized as a national network of more than 200 locally owned and operated franchise offices. The Spherion brand is owned by Randstad, the global HR services leader, which acquired the company in 2023 (though Randstad had held a stake in Spherion for many years prior). Today, Spherion places more than 150,000 Americans into work each day across a wide range of industries, and has been recognized on Entrepreneur magazine's Top Home-Based & Mobile Franchises list. Spherion's own internal corporate workforce supports franchise operations, marketing, and technology, while the larger pool of candidates placed through local Spherion offices work across a wide range of client businesses.

Company culture and employee programs: Spherion emphasizes a community-focused approach to workforce solutions, with locally owned and operated franchise offices staffed by "empowered entrepreneurs" who understand their regional markets. The company has run scholarship programs for individuals seeking higher education through its franchise community. Benefits, scheduling, and specific working conditions depend heavily on which client site a candidate is placed with; candidates should confirm exact details with a local Spherion office during the hiring process.

Yes. Staffing agencies, including Spherion, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on 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.

Spherion is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for staffing agencies, particularly since candidates are placed across a wide range of industries and roles that may carry specific client-mandated screening requirements.

The hiring process through Spherion typically includes an application, an interview with a local Spherion office recruiter, and a background check prior to placement with a client company. Specific requirements can vary depending on the local franchise office and client.

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-placement background check for a role sourced through Spherion may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws and specific client requirements may extend or restrict this timeframe.

Hiring and placement 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, its relevance to the role, and the requirements of the specific client company. 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.

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 Spherion or its client companies 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 through Spherion 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.