Ready to run background checks the modern way?
A new survey of 3,000 consumers and independent workers reveals growing demand for verification across childcare, eldercare, home services, and other high-trust categories.
Checkr, the AI verification platform for high-stakes decisions, today released new research revealing that verification is becoming the deciding factor in how independent workers get hired, as concerns around fake profiles, identity fraud, and AI-generated credentials continue to rise.
Checkr's report, Trust, Verified: The New Rules of Independent Hiring in 2026, surveyed 1,500 consumers and 1,500 independent workers across the United States and found that verified credentials are now a key driver in who gets hired and what they earn. The findings come as the independent workforce continues to grow faster than traditional employment, with more than 72 million Americans now working independently, according to MBO Partners’ State of Independence report.
"Trust has always been at the center of the most personal decisions, from who comes into your home to who cares for your kids or parents,” said Ethan Alter, Head of Growth for Checkr Personal. “The bar for proving it keeps rising. Verification is increasingly the price of entry, and for folks who lean into it, there's a real economic payoff.”
Consumers are raising the bar for who they let into their lives
Referrals, reviews, and star ratings are no longer enough. Consumers are requiring proof before they hire.
- 92% say a background check is the most impactful trust signal on a worker's profile
- 90% would rather wait for a fully vetted worker than hire an unverified one
- 67% would pay a premium for a worker who has passed a verified background check
The stakes are highest in care and home-access categories
Consumers apply the greatest scrutiny to workers who will spend time with the people they love most.
- 69% require a background check before hiring for childcare
- 61% require one for elder and home healthcare workers
- 41% rank childcare, babysitting, or nannying as their single biggest safety and trust concern when hiring independently, more than double the next-highest category
Workers with verified credentials are winning, but most aren't capitalizing on it
For workers, verification is an economic advantage hiding in plain sight.
- 71% say a background check increases their chances of getting hired
- 61% say a client has chosen them over someone else because of their credentials
- Yet just 27% who have completed a background check actively promote it on their profile or with clients
The company's recent launch of Checkr Profiles, which gives people a portable, verified identity they can share with any prospective customer or job marketplace, has already surpassed one million users.
To access the full Trust, Verified: The New Rules of Independent Hiring in 2026 report, visit: https://checkr.com/resources/articles/trust-verified-report-2026.
Research methodology
All data found within this report is derived from a survey conducted by Checkr via a third-party platform from May 5-10, 2026. In total, 3,000 adult Americans were surveyed: 1,500 general population consumers and 1,500 independent workers. Consumer respondents were screened to confirm they had hired or considered hiring an independent worker for home services, personal care, childcare, delivery, or a related category in the past 12 months. Worker respondents were screened to confirm they are currently self-employed and provide hands-on services directly to consumers. This survey was conducted over a six-day span, and respondents were asked to answer all questions as truthfully as possible, and to the best of their knowledge and abilities.
About the author
Ellen Kiehl is the Head of External Communications at Checkr, leading the company's external narrative across media relations, executive thought leadership, data storytelling, and employer brand. With over 12 years of experience at high-growth technology companies, she has held senior roles at Udemy, Step, and Affirm, and began her career at Edelman.
