Workers' compensation benefits are paid to those who have suffered injury during the performance of their jobs. 

Workers' compensation records are an important tool in background investigations because they've a reliable and hard to fake source of information on a subject. Sometimes a subject in hiding cannot be found via a DMV check or other means yet continues to collect Workers' Comp benefits and can be located through the state Workers Compensation Bureau. 

Researching at state workers' compensation boards is, in general, restricted to determining if your subject has filed a claim, though some states -- such as Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio -- consider Workers' Compensation files public records. Other states will not release information at all. Note that state policies are continually being changed in this area.

The permissible purposes are: extension of credit, employment purposes, insurance underwriting, and the granting of professional licenses. 

As a result of the new Graham, Leach, Bliley Act (passed November, 1999 and effective July 1, 2001),  it is now also illegal to access the so-called "header information" in the individual's credit report without a permissible purpose.  Headers are the top part of the credit reports and contain the individual's basic identifying information, such as full name, date of birth, address, age, social security number, and, sometimes, employment. 

Today, there are three major credit bureaus in the country; they have more or less apportioned between themselves the entire U.S. market, and to thoroughly investigate a subject's credit it's necessary to access the records of all three. They are: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. 

In addition to having a permissible purpose under the FCRA, you also need access to credit bureau files. At present, the three major bureaus are quite restrictive regarding whom they will permit access to (mainly banks, collection agencies, and loan companies); private investigators, for example, are not permitted direct access and must obtain credit reports through third-party vendors, also known as secondary bureaus. 

Violation of the FCRA is highly inadvisable (though commonplace). Penalties can range up to $5,000 in fines and up to one year imprisonment, not to mention the possibility of getting sued by the consumer whose rights are violated. 

Thus if you or your company uses an information broker or private investigator to access credit files (either full credit reports or headers), make sure the information is being obtained legally. 

More information... 

For more information on the FCRA, visit: www.wdia.com/fcra-menu.htm. 

National Credit Bureau Telephone Numbers: 

Equifax (404) 885-8000 
Experian (888) 397-3742 
Trans Union (800) 916-8800