Reference Check Services
Hear It From the People Who Actually Worked With Them
Sapphire conducts both personal and professional reference verifications, using our industry-standard questions or a set you customize to your company's specific requirements.
Reference Verification: $10.00 a la carte, or two included in the Premium package.
A Clean Record Doesn't Tell You What It's Like to Work With Someone
Criminal and employment checks don't cover dependability or character.
References affirm claims a resume alone can’t – how someone actually shows up day to day.
Applicants control who's listed as a reference.
That’s exactly why the questions asked, and how they’re documented, matter as much as who’s called.
Generic questions get generic answers.
Reference checks that don’t dig into specifics often just confirm what’s already assumed.
Standard Questions, or Build Your Own
Sapphire’s reference checks affirm an applicant’s claims of dependability, integrity, and character through direct contact with the business and personal references they’ve listed.
Personal and professional reference verifications available
Use Sapphire's industry-standard question set, or provide your own custom questions
Available a la carte for $10.00 per reference
Two Reference Verifications included in the Premium package
How Reference Verification Works
Applicant Provides References
The applicant lists personal and/or professional references as part of the screening process.
We Contact Each Reference
Sapphire reaches out directly using our standard questions or your custom question set.
Responses Documented
Answers are recorded and included in your background check report.
WHY EMPLOYERS ADD REFERENCE CHECKS
Checks from $22.50 flat - no published rate card games
Reports reviewed by Sapphire's in-house team, not run on autopilot
FCRA-aligned process, PBSA-accredited
Results available in as little as the same day
Reference Check FAQs
Can I write my own reference check questions?
Yes – you can use Sapphire’s industry-standard questions or provide a custom set specific to your company’s requirements.
How many references does this include?
Pricing is per reference verification ($10.00 a la carte); the Premium package includes two.
What's the difference between this and Employment Verification?
Employment Verification confirms hard facts (title, dates) with a past employer of record. A Reference Check gathers a personal or professional reference’s assessment of the candidate – they’re separate services and can be ordered together.
Can employers legally give a negative reference?
Employers can generally share truthful, job-related information, though many companies limit responses to dates and title for their own liability reasons – this varies by company policy and state law, so confirm specifics with your own counsel where it matters to your process.
How long does a reference check take?
Turnaround depends on how quickly each listed reference responds.
Ask the People Who Actually Know.
Add reference verification to your next background check, with our standard questions or your own.
$10 per reference · Custom or standard questions · FCRA-aligned