Background checks: Costs and billing
Table of Contents
Designating or changing your department’s authorized ProCard
Updating a ProCard number or expiration date
Last updated: July 15, 2025
UW conducts a suite of criminal conviction background checks on the final candidate for employment or volunteer/contractor placement at the UW.
The University’s basic background check package for campus employees is $20.73. The cost for a specific finalist may be higher if the individual’s residency history requires additional county, state and/or international reports.
On campus, the employing unit is responsible for designating a ProCard to be used for prehire background check charges billed through the University’s background check vendor, Sterling, and providing Workday worktag information to reconcile charges for the Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) check administered through the Washington State Patrol.
WATCH Billing Process
Beginning May 5, 2025, UWHR will pilot a new payment process in which WATCH charges for staff and students will be billed and paid centrally. UWHR will then use cost center details provided by the department to redistribute charges using Workday accounting journal. This change will allow UWHR to pilot new background payment processes that utilize Workday’s integrated Recruiting and Finance functionality.
For staff, student and volunteer background checks, departments will need to provide Workday cost center details/worktags for billing purposes. Campus Recruiting will work with your department’s background check ProCard holder to gather and maintain this information.
Monthly, UWHR will bill each $11 WATCH transaction on an individual line in the EIB. The transaction memo will include the following information that is required for reconciliation in the memo field of the EIB: transaction number, applicant name, requisition number (for staff hires) and the name of the background check requestor (for students and volunteers).
If worktags provided by the unit fail in the EIB, UWHR Business and Finance will alert the requestor to follow up with the unit to verify the worktags. If the EIB is successful and the unit challenges the charges, they should email the requestor and hrbf@uw.edu so we can work together to resolve the specific issue.
Sterling invoice process
Sterling will typically send invoices on the 10th business day of the month for checks completed the previous month and ProCards will be charged 1-2 weeks after invoices are issued. Invoices will be sent from accountsreceivable@fadv.com and will include all details ProCard holders need to verify which hire the charge is for and to reconcile their charges in Workday. The invoice will list each candidate and the total cost of their background check.
The address field of your invoice will include your department’s name as it appears in Sterling’s billing system. Departments in different schools, colleges, and campuses can use similar shorthand and acronyms. When calling Sterling, be sure to reference your department name as it appears on your invoice.
The Purchase Order number on your invoice is unique to your hiring department. Its last 3 digits will match the billing site used by the University’s previous background check vendor, A-Check.
Your invoice also includes a Billing ID, which is Sterling’s internal billing reference and includes the UW’s contract number.
Designating or changing your department’s authorized ProCard
To change the name of your department’s authorized ProCard holder and billing contact, send an email to ttmchbc@uw.edu that includes the following:
- Your department’s name and Purchase Order Number as they appear on your Sterling invoice.
- Current ProCard holder name and email
- New ProCard holder name and email
UWHR will send Sterling your updated billing information. A Sterling account representative will confirm when the change has been made and provide instructions for updating the account’s ProCard information.
Updating a ProCard number or expiration date
Email UWHelp@fadv.com from the email associated with your Sterling account. Include your name and the following information from your Sterling invoice: department name, Purchase Order Number, and Billing ID as they appear on your Sterling Check invoice. UW’s Sterling account representative will provide instructions for providing/updating your ProCard information.
Requesting a duplicate/invoice/receipt?
Email your request to UWHelp@fadv.com from the email associated with your Sterling account. Include your name and the following information from your invoice: your department’s name and Billing ID as they appear on your Sterling Check invoice. You will typically receive your invoice the next business day.
Disputing background check charges
If you have questions about your invoice or specific charges, forward the invoice to UWHelp@fadv.com. Please include the applicant name(s) when disputing a charge.