Visiting Angels: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Visiting Angels began franchising in 1998 out of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, building on an in-home senior care model. The company's legal name is Living Assistance Services, Inc., and it is headquartered in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Over more than 25 years, Visiting Angels has grown into one of the largest home care franchise networks in the country, with more than 550 to 600 independently owned agencies operating nationwide, as well as franchise locations in the United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, and Canada.

Visiting Angels agencies provide a range of non-medical home care services, including companion care, personal care and hygiene assistance, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, and specialized care for clients with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or Parkinson's disease. Because Visiting Angels operates as a franchise network, each local agency is independently owned and operated, meaning hiring, training, and screening practices are managed at the local franchise level rather than centrally by Visiting Angels' corporate headquarters.

Visiting Angels' workforce consists primarily of caregivers who work directly and often alone in clients' homes, providing hands-on personal care and support to vulnerable older adults. Given the nature of this work, caregiver screening and vetting are central to how individual Visiting Angels franchise locations manage their hiring processes.

Company culture and employee programs: Visiting Angels positions its network around compassionate, personalized care for seniors, describing its mission as helping clients "age in place" comfortably in their own homes rather than moving to care facilities. Because the company operates as a franchise, benefits, training programs, and advancement opportunities can vary significantly between individual agencies, so candidates should confirm specifics with the local franchise owner where they are applying.

Yes. Employers in the home care industry, including Visiting Angels franchise locations, are legally permitted and, in many states, legally required to conduct pre-employment background checks on caregiver candidates, given the vulnerable population served. 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.

Visiting Angels agencies are generally reported to conduct comprehensive background screenings for caregiver applicants, consistent with industry standards and, in many states, regulatory requirements for home care and personal care workers.

The hiring process for caregiver roles at Visiting Angels typically includes an application, an in-person or virtual interview, verification of any required caregiver certifications, and a background check prior to a final offer. Some states may also require specific caregiver registry checks or abuse and neglect registry screenings for home care workers.

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 home care caregiver role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws governing home care and elder care workers may require more extensive lookback periods or lifetime disqualifying offense lists depending on the jurisdiction.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis by the local franchise owner, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to a caregiving role involving vulnerable adults. Many states have specific disqualifying offense lists for home care and elder care workers that go beyond standard "ban-the-box" laws protections.

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 and applicable state home care licensing 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 Visiting Angels 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 Visiting Angels 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.