CIChecked™ and Lever by Employ Announce Strategic Integration

Partnership delivers one-click investigative-grade background checks, real-time status updates, and built-in compliance documentation for mid-market talent acquisition teams

LATHAM, N.Y., March 4, 2026  — CIChecked™ (Commercial Investigations LLC), a licensed private investigative agency and leading provider of investigative background screening solutions, today announced an enhanced strategic integration with Lever, the relationship-driven applicant tracking system owned by Employ Inc. The partnership embeds CIChecked’s human-driven background investigations directly into the Lever platform, eliminating manual data entry and delivering investigative-depth results without disrupting talent pipeline velocity.

For mid-market talent acquisition teams, background checks have long been the bottleneck that kills carefully built candidate momentum. Recruiters spend months nurturing talent through Lever’s CRM, conducting collaborative interviews, and building relationships - only to watch that momentum die during 7–10 day screening delays from database-only providers. The CIChecked + Lever integration solves this by combining investigative verification with pipeline-speed turnaround, directly inside the platform teams already use.

“Lever users chose their ATS because they believe hiring is about relationships, not transactions. Their screening provider should reflect that same philosophy,” said Michelle Pyan, President and Founder of CIChecked. “While others automate, we investigate. This integration brings licensed investigators, direct courthouse access, and hours-not-days turnaround into the Lever workflow - so talent teams get investigative depth without sacrificing pipeline velocity.”

Integration Capabilities

The CIChecked + Lever integration delivers a fully embedded screening experience designed for the speed and precision mid-market talent teams demand:

• One-Click Ordering: Launch comprehensive background investigations directly from Lever candidate profiles. No re-typing candidate data, no separate portals, no wasted coordinator time.

• Real-Time Status Updates: Screening progress flows automatically into Lever - no more portal-hopping, no more “where’s the background check?” emails from hiring managers.

• Automatic Report Attachment: Completed investigation reports attach directly to candidate records, creating a documented compliance trail without manual downloading or uploading.

• Built-In Compliance Documentation: FCRA consent management, adverse action workflows, and jurisdiction-specific compliance handled within the integrated environment.

Unlike database-only screening providers that dominate the ATS integration market, CIChecked’s approach pairs licensed private investigators with proprietary technology to uncover records, inconsistencies, and compliance risks that automated systems routinely miss. The company’s proprietary NY Checked™ criminal search delivers New York State results in two hours at $32.50 -  compared to $95 and next-day turnaround through traditional state searches -  and is now accessible directly through the Lever integration.

Proven Performance at Scale

CIChecked brings a verified performance track record to the Lever ecosystem. Across its client base - spanning healthcare, nonprofit, higher education, and financial services - the company delivers:

• 88% of searches completed within one business day

• 98% incoming call pickup rate with live investigators

• 88% same-day resolution for complex screening inquiries

• 500,000+ background investigations completed across 1,300+ clients over 20+ years

• 0.57-day average turnaround across all industries 

CIChecked was recently recognized by HRO Today’s Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings for Background Screening Providers, ranking #8 overall and earning placement across multiple enterprise categories including Quality of Service, Breadth of Service, and Size of Deals.

Expanding the Partnership Ecosystem

“The Lever integration represents exactly the kind of strategic alliance that drives real value for talent acquisition teams,” said Michelle Nichols, Vice President of Client Solutions at CIChecked. “Mid-market organizations shouldn’t have to choose between investigative depth and workflow efficiency. This partnership eliminates that trade-off.”

The Lever integration joins CIChecked’s growing portfolio of 65+ ATS and HRIS platform integrations, which includes partnerships with iSolved, UKG, PageUp, Paylocity, and VolunteerMatters. The company’s integration strategy focuses on embedding investigative screening directly into the platforms HR teams already use - reducing friction, eliminating manual processes, and maintaining compliance across jurisdictions.

About CIChecked™

CIChecked™ (Commercial Investigations LLC) provides thorough, human-driven background investigations that go beyond database searches. Our experienced licensed investigators dig deeper, cross-checking information to uncover inconsistencies and red flags for the most highly regulated industries. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Latham, New York, CIChecked is a WBENC-certified woman-owned business, NYS-licensed private investigative agency, and recognized by HRO Today’s Baker’s Dozen for Customer Satisfaction and Quality of Service. (518) 271-7546 | info@cichecked.com | cichecked.com

About Lever by Employ

Lever is a scalable, powerful applicant tracking system combined with interactive candidate relationship management tools that enables talent teams at businesses of all sizes to find, nurture, and hire the best talent. Part of the Employ Inc. family alongside JazzHR and Jobvite, Lever serves mid-market organizations across healthcare, education, nonprofit, financial services, and technology with collaborative hiring workflows and built-in CRM functionality. Learn more at lever.co.

Press Contact:

Alexander Skaine
Marketing Communications Coordinator
CIChecked™
Email: alexskaine@cichecked.com
Phone: (518) 271-7546