Mike Scherzer

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The Scherzer Deal Report: March 2-6, 2026

Here is this week’s Deal Report for private equity and venture capital activity for US-based PE and VC firms and portfolio companies, brought to you by Scherzer International.

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Fundraising for PE & VC Funds

a16z
$2B
Fifth crypto fund

Axiom Partners
$52M
Debut fund

Bregal Sagemount
$3.5B
Fifth flagship PE fund

Galvanize
$370M
Real estate fund

Sound Point Capital Management
$1.5B
Third private credit fund

Private Equity Deals

J.C. Flowers 
Accelerated Wealth Partners
$200M
New York City, NY-based RIA acquisition platform.

Trive Capital 
Adrianna Papell
Undisclosed amount
New York City, NY-based designer of women’s special-occasion apparel

Gemspring 
Aeromed
Undisclosed amount
Charlotte, NC-based provider of supply chain solutions to aerospace and defense

Trinity Hunt Partners
Berger Consulting Group
Undisclosed amount
Los Angeles, CA-based provider of economic consulting and damages analysis for labor and employment disputes

Centurium Capital
Blue Bottle Coffee
$400M
Oakland, CA-based coffee roaster & retailer

Visualize 
BMM Testlabs
Undisclosed amount
Las Vegas, NV-based provider of testing, inspection, compliance, and certification services to the gaming market

Resurgens Technology Partners 
Breezeway
Undisclosed amount
Boston, MA-based operations platform for vacation rentals

Riveron
Cuesta Partners
Undisclosed amount
Chicago, IL-based AI & data tech firm

West Star Aviation
DCJet Services
Undisclosed amount
Sterling, VA-based provider of field maintenance and aircraft-on-ground services

Southern Home Services
Dunn’s HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical
Undisclosed amount
Anniston, AL-based multi-trade service company

CRC Group
Euclid Transactional
Undisclosed amount
New York City, NY-based transactional insurance provider

Royal Cup
Farmer Brothers Coffee Co.
$28M
Northlake, TX-based coffee roaster, wholesaler, and distributor

Northlane Capital Partners
File & Serve
Xpress
Undisclosed amount
Dallas, TX-based provider of online legal document exchange and related services

TPG
Findhelp
$250M
Austin, TX-based social care tech platform

Concord
Finley Technologies

Undisclosed amount
San Francisco, CA-based provider of credit facility management software

Precision Strategies
Firehouse Strategies
Undisclosed amount
Washington, DC-based public affairs firm

Gryphon Investors
HRSoft
Undisclosed amount
Denver, CO-based provider of compensation management software

Blue Fire Equity
Jovian Concepts
Undisclosed amount
Hanover, MD-based provider of intelligence and engineering services to the U.S. defense and intelligence community

Lee Equity Partners
KCIC
Undisclosed amount
Washington, DC-based insurance risk consultancy

Searchlight Capital Partners and Abry Partners
Kore 
$726M
Atlanta, GA-based IoT (Internet of Things) company

Perceptyx
Lyceum AI
Undisclosed amount
Oxford, OH-based employee learning platform

Blackstone
MacLean Power Systems
$4B
Fort Mill, SC-based utility parts maker

Vista Equity Partners
Portside
Undisclosed amount
Cary, NC-based aviation software firm

Ardurra
Remington & Vernick
Undisclosed amount
Cherry Hill, NJ-based engineering consultancy

Enverus
SBS
Undisclosed amount
Littleton, CO-based design automation platform for gas utilities and telecom

Goldman Sachs Alternatives
Schellman
Undisclosed amount
Tampa, FL-based provider of cybersecurity compliance and attestation services

Gemspring Capital
Sitemetric
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based provider of construction site security, access, and workforce software

Victor Capital Partners
Specialty Fenestration Group
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based specialty fenestration platform

Sandbrook Capital
United Utility
Undisclosed amount
New Orleans, LA-based provider of electric utility infrastructure services

New State Capital Partners
Vast Coworking Group
Undisclosed amount
West Palm Beach, FL-based coworking company with over 200 locations

Virtual Technologies Group
Vector Tech
Undisclosed amount
Freeland, MI-based provider of customized and integrated IT solutions to businesses

Accel-KKR
Whip Around
Undisclosed amount
San Diego, CA-based provider of fleet maintenance and compliance software

Venture Capital Deals

RA Capital Management, Nextech Invest, The Column Group, Lux Capital, and Regeneron Ventures
Atavistik Bio
$40M
Cambridge, MA-based developer of treatments for blood cancer and bleeding disorders

Neuberger Berman, Alchip Technologies, ARK Invest, Insight Partners, MediaTek, QIA, Sequoia Global Equities, 1789 Capital, Advent Global Opportunities, Boardman Bay Capital Management, IAG Capital Partners, Light Street Capital, Playground Global, AMD Ventures, and Nvidia
Ayar Labs
$500M
San Jose, CA-based provider of optical interconnect solutions for large-scale AI workloads

Springcoast Capital Partners, PayPal Ventures, Arsenal Growth Equity, Mercury Fund, and Oak HC/FT
Cart.com
$180M
Houston, TX-based commerce and logistics provider

Tradeweb Markets, DRW Venture Capital, Ripple, Virtu Financial, Wintermute Ventures, XTX Markets, and Illuminate Financial
Crossover Markets
$31M
Wilmington, DE-based parent company of the CROSSx crypto electronic communication networks

Greylock
Cylake
$45M
Sunnyvale, CA-based cybersecurity startup for regulated institutions

a16z
Ease Health
$41M
New York City, NY-based maker of software for behavioral health providers

Tether Investments
Eight Sleep
$50M
New York City, NY-based maker of smart sleep products

Allumia Ventures, DaVita Venture Group, Blue Cross of Idaho, Flare Capital Partners, Optum Ventures, LRVHealth, Health Velocity, Martin Ventures, and Epsilon Ventures
Greater Good Health
$20.5M
El Segundo, CA-based value-based health services company

GV, Khosla Ventures, Acrew Capital, NfX, Scribble Ventures, and Webb Investment Network
Guild.ai
$44M
San Francisco, CA-based startup helping companies develop AI agents

Ghisallo Capital, Principia Growth, Sixty Degree Capital, and Strategic Development Fund
HawkEye 360
$23M
Herndon, VA-based radio signals intelligence startup

Redpoint Ventures and CrowdStrike Falcon Fund
JetStream Security
$34M
Santa Clara, CA-based AI governance startup

HealthX Ventures, 8VC, LRVHealth, Bold Capital Partners, and Ikigai Venture Partners
KeyCare
$20.9M
Chicago, IL-based telehealth startup

A16z, SV Angel, Harry Stebbings, and YC
Lio
$30M
New York City, NY-based agentic AI startup focused on procurement

HM Venture Partners and Southeast Minnesota Capital Partners
Minnesota Medical Technologies
$20.6M
Stewartville, MN-based continence care company

Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Lux Capital, and General Catalyst|
Nominal
$80M
Austin, TX-based industrial software startup

Janus Henderson Investors, RA Capital, SR One, Vida Ventures, and ArrowMark Partners
Poplar Therapeutics
$45M
Cambridge, MA-based food allergy biotech

RTW Investments
Prolium Bioscience
$50M
New York City, NY-based autoimmune biotech

Fifth Wall and Progressive, HighSage Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Flintlock Capital, Gaingels, Canaan, First Round Capital, Curql, and TruStage Ventures
RenoFi
$22M
Philadelphia, PA-based home renovation financing platform

Goldman Sachs Alternatives, IVP, and Goldcrest
Sage
$65M
New York City, NY-based care platform for senior living and skilled nursing

LuminArx Capital Management, General Atlantic, Coatue, Moore Strategic Ventures, and Andalusian Private Capital
Sierra Space
$550M
Louisville, CO-based defense-tech space spinout of Sierra Nevada Corp.

Geodesic Capital, Costanoa Ventures, Point72 Ventures, Felicis, First In, Scribble Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, Washington Harbour Partners, Palumni VC, Fulcrum Venture Group, Anomaly Fund, and Fortitude Ventures
Smack Technologies
$32M
El Segundo, CA-based AI lab for national security

March 11th, 2026|Scherzer Deal Report|

The Hiring Line: Work Authorization, Sponsorship, and E-Verify

You have 10 open roles and 100 applicants, and you want to know now who can actually work. But in the eyes of the law, curiosity can look a lot like discrimination. To protect your company, you need to know exactly where the “No-Go” zone begins.

The Pre-Offer “No-Go” Zone

Until you’ve extended a formal offer, your curiosity is legally capped. Federal guidance (under the INA) is a “two-question only” territory.

You CAN ask:

  1. “Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?”
  2. “Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status?”

You CANNOT ask:

  • “Are you a U.S. citizen?”
  • “What is your visa type?” (H-1B, L-1, etc.)
  • “Can I see your Green Card or Passport?”
  • “Where were you born?”

Digging into citizenship or requesting documents too early is considered a discriminatory hurdle. Unless you fall under a narrow exception, it’s a fast track to a DOJ audit.

The Narrow Exception

There are limited situations when you can ask about citizenship upfront. This only applies if a law, executive order, or government contract requires it. Examples include:

  • Federal jobs: specific roles requiring U.S. citizenship.
  • Export controls: positions dealing with ITAR/EAR (defense and high-tech) where access is restricted by nationality.
  • Security clearances: roles that require a “Secret” or “Top Secret” stamp from the government.

E-Verify is for Post-Offer Only

E-Verify is a web-based system operated by the USCIS that electronically compares a new hire’s Form I-9 information with DHS and SSA records to confirm work authorization. It’s free and voluntary for most employers, although mandatory for certain federal contractors and by some states as a condition of business licensing or employment practices. Employers must create an account and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DHS and SSA before using E Verify.

Here’s the E-Verify flow:

  • Employee accepts an offer
  • Employee completes Form I-9
  • Employer enters I-9 data into E Verify
  • System checks the data against SSA and DHS records
  • Employer receives results

What Can Background Screening Companies Do?

Background screening companies must follow the same pre‑offer rules as employers, meaning they cannot check, request, or verify citizenship, visa type, or immigration status.

After a conditional offer, they can help verify work authorization only by reviewing the documents the employee provides for Form I‑9 and running E‑Verify, providing they are registered as an E‑Verify Employer Agent and the employer is enrolled. (Employers must still sign the MOU with the DHS and remain legally liable for any compliance slip-ups.) ‑

 

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The summary provided in this alert does not, and cannot, cover in detail what employers need to know about the amendments to the Philadelphia Fair Chance Law or how to incorporate its requirements into their hiring process. No recipient should act or refrain from acting based on any information provided here without advice from a qualified attorney licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.

March 10th, 2026|Compliance Corner, Employment Decisions|

Politics in Employment Screening

As political expression becomes increasingly visible online, employers face a difficult question: Does political activism have a place in personnel decisions? While much of this information is publicly accessible, its use in hiring is governed by a complex web of federal, state, and local laws. Employers must carefully distinguish between protected political expression, criminal conduct, and in limited circumstances where political contributions may create regulatory compliance obligations.

Screening for Cultural Fit Based on Politics

Using political views or lawful participation to assess a cultural fit is a risky strategy. While federal law does not explicitly protect political affiliation for private-sector employees, many states (such as California, New York, and Colorado) and local jurisdictions do. Even in “at-will” states without specific political protections, using political beliefs as a filter can inadvertently create a discrimination claim. This occurs if political views correlate with protected characteristics like race, religion, or national origin.

Lawful Political Activity vs. Criminal Conduct

Peaceful rallies, advocacy, volunteering, and public expression are generally protected by state-level “off-duty conduct” laws. If an individual engages in rioting, vandalism, assault, or trespassing for example, an employer may consider the criminal offense. The focus must remain on the illegal act, regardless of whether it was motivated by a political cause. When evaluating such criminal history, employers must still adhere to “Fair Chance” or “Ban-the-Box” laws, which dictate when and how employers can ask about a candidate’s record.

When Political Donations Matter

In the financial sector, political screening is not just a choice—it is often a regulatory requirement. Under SEC Rule 206(4)-5, certain political contributions by “covered associates” can trigger a two-year ban on the firm receiving compensation from government clients. To remain compliant, firms may conduct political contribution reviews for relevant roles. These reviews typically cover the previous two years (or six months for certain new associates). This screening must be used strictly for regulatory compliance, not to vet a candidate’s personal ideology.

 Bottom Line

Political screening can be a legal minefield. When handled with precision, background screening supports regulatory obligations; when handled poorly, it invites discrimination lawsuits.

 

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The summary provided in this alert does not, and cannot, cover in detail what employers need to know about the amendments to the Philadelphia Fair Chance Law or how to incorporate its requirements into their hiring process. No recipient should act or refrain from acting based on any information provided here without advice from a qualified attorney licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.

March 5th, 2026|Compliance Corner, Employment Decisions|

The Scherzer Deal Report: February 23-27, 2026

Here is this week’s Deal Report for private equity and venture capital activity for US-based PE and VC firms and portfolio companies, brought to you by Scherzer International.

Sign up: Get private equity and venture capital deals delivered to your inbox every week!

Fundraising for PE & VC Funds

Ascend Capital Partners
$791M
Second health care-focused PE fund

Cutting Horse
$75M
Debut fund

Greenbriar Equity Group
$5.4B
Seventh PE fund

Palm Peak Capital
$374M
Inaugural funds

Second Sight Ventures
$75M
Debut fund

Private Equity Deals

Valiant Solutions
Abile Group
Undisclosed amount
Alexandria, VA-based provider of secure network and cyber services to national security customers

OceanSound Partners
Automated Financial Systems
Undisclosed amount

Exton, PA-based commercial loan servicing company

FCH
Axiflow Technologies
Undisclosed amount
Tampa, FL-based sanitary twin-screw pump solution

PlayPower
BCI Burke
Undisclosed amount
Fond du Lac, WI-based maker of play environments

Center for Social Dynamics
Behavior Change Institute
Undisclosed amount
Albuquerque, NM-based autism services provider

WestView Capital Partners
Benefits All In
Undisclosed amount
Cincinnati, OH-based health care benefit navigation company

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety
CARE Security & Monitoring
Undisclosed amount
Louisville, KY-based security systems provider

Blackstone
Champions Group
$2.5B
Irvine, CA-based residential services provider

Superior Environmental Solutions
ChemWorx
Undisclosed amount
Decatur, AL-based provider of specialized chemical cleaning services

Amberjack Capital Partners
CIMA Services
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based waste management, environmental remediation and industrial services company

The Heritage Group
Forta
Undisclosed amount
Minneapolis, MN-based manufacturer of synthetic fibers for asphalt and concrete

Ariel Alternatives and Cherokee Nation Businesses 
Front Line Power Construction
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based electrical construction and power infrastructure company

HKW 
Handling Systems and Conveyors
Undisclosed amount
Little Rock, AR-based provider crane, hoist, conveyor and tooling solutions

Bregal Sagemount 
Harbor Compliance
Undisclosed amount
Lancaster, PA-based entity compliance solutions

Tencarva
Hoffman-Kane Distributors
Undisclosed amount
Pittsburgh, PA-based provider of industrial fluid handling and sealing solutions

Flow Control Management
Kingston Valve Co.
Undisclosed amount
Torrance, CA-based industrial valve maker

Prime AE Group
Klavon Design Associates
Undisclosed amount
Pittsburgh, PA-based landscape architecture and planning services company

Palisade Infrastructure and SER Capital Partners
MicroGrid Networks
Undisclosed amount
New York City, NY-based battery energy storage systems company

GenNx360 Capital Partners 
NVI
Undisclosed amount
Gray, LA-based compliance and testing company for energy infrastructure, industrial manufacturing, power generation markets

Centralis Group
PINE Advisor Solutions
Undisclosed amount
Denver, CO-based provider of fund services

Bay
Pine Relation
Undisclosed amount
Chicago, IL-based insurance broker

Cerberus Capital Management 
Vivace International
Undisclosed amount
New Orleans, LA-based propulsion tanks and aerospace systems company

The Eagle Leasing Company
West Brothers Trailers and Containers4Less
Undisclosed amount
Raleigh, NC-based providers of shipping containers and semi-trailer rentals

The Riverside Company
Western Botanicals
Undisclosed amount
Spanish Fork, UT-based vitamins and supplements development organization

Venture Capital Deals

Battery Ventures, J2 Ventures, and DYNE
Aalyria
$100M
Livermore, CA-based aerospace communications company

Jeito Capital and Novo Holdings
Alveus Therapeutics
$37M
Philadelphia, PA-based obesity and metabolic disease therapy developer

Index Ventures, Team8, and Holly ventures
Astelia
$35M
New York City, NY-based cybersecurity platform

Accel, GV, Lloyd Blankfein, and Khosla Ventures
Basis 
$100M
New York City, NY-based agent platform for accountants

Yuanta Investment and DSC Investment
BreezeBio
$60M
San Francisco, CA-based mRNA diabetes therapy biotech

A16z, DCVC, LMNT, Marlinspike, Overmatch, Shield Capital, Ensemble, Trenches Capital, General Catalyst, and XYZ
Chariot Defense
$34M
San Francisco, CA-based battlefield power company

Wellington Management, YC, CRV, N47, Crane Venture Partners, and Harpoon Ventures
Encord
$60M
San Francisco, CA-based physical AI data infrastructure company

8VC led, Bain Capital Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, and Outsiders Fund
Flux
$27M
San Francisco, CA-based electronics vibe-coding startup

Emergence Capital, YC, and Peak XV Partners
Harper
$46.8M
San Francisco, CA-based insurance brokerage startup

Kaszek, Goodwater Capital, Y Combinator, Arash Ferdowsi (Founder of Dropbox), Guillermo Rauch (Founder of Vercel), Martin Varsavsky (Founder of Overture), and Rajat Suri (Founder of Lyft)
Humand
$66M
San Francisco, CA-based HR platform for deskless workforces

Theory Ventures
Koah
$20.5
MSan Francisco, CA-based “AdSense for AI” Jane Street and Situational Awareness,

Marvell Technology, NFDG, Spark Capital, and Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison
MatX
$500M
Mountain View, CA-based AI chip developer

Norwest, Databricks Ventures, Target Global, Square Peg, Hetz Ventures, Slow Ventures, R-Squared Ventures, J-Ventures, and InvestIn
Data Nimble
$47M
New York City, NY-based web search and data platform

Bessemer Venture Partners, Booz Allen Ventures, Draper Associates, Bloomberg Beta, and Alumni Ventures
Noda AI
$25M
Austin, TX-based tactics orchestration platform for the U.S. defense and intelligence markets

Lead Edge Capital, Iconiq, Index Ventures, Greylock, Harmony Partners, and Interplay
Pepper
$50M
New York City, NY-based software for independent food distributors

Olive Tree Capital 
Phoenix Tailings
$30.2M
Woburn, MA-based rare earth metals production company

Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Saga VC, South Park Commons, and Evantic
Profound
$96M
New York City, NY-based agentic marketing startup

Index Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and insiders Thrive Capital, Felicis, Abstract Ventures, and Dylan Field
Revel
$150M
Los Angeles, CA-based unified software platform for hardware test and control

Sequoia Capital, Emergence Capital, Stripe, Conviction, Basis Set, and Twine Ventures
Rowspace
$50M
San Francisco, CA-based data AI platform for financial firms

Mubadala Capital, Arch Venture Partners, Lingotto Horizon, and Averin Capital
Salma Health
$80M
La Jolla, CA-based brain health startup

Intel
SambaNova
$350M
Palo Alto, CA-based chipmaker

10 Atlantic Group, Egis Capital Partners, and MUUS
Sensera Systems
$27M
Denver, CO-based job-site intelligence platform

NantWorks, Fidelity, Sumitomo Corp. of Americas, Pelican Energy Partners, Deerfield Management, and Oaktree Capital Management
Shine Technologies
$240M
Janesville, WI-based nuclear fusion startup

U.S. Venture Partners
Slang AI
$36M
New York City, NY-based AI platform for the hospitality industry

RA Capital Management, Forbion, and Foresite Capital
Slate Medicines
$130M
Raleigh, NC-based migraine and headache drug company

Vistara Growth
Subject
$28M
Beverly Hills, CA-based AI education platform

Chugai Venture Fund and the Gates Foundation
Ten63 Therapeutics
$22M
Durham, NC-based AI drug-discovery company

67 Capital, Marunouchi Innovation Partners, Hamilton Lane, ClearSky and GMS
Ubicquia
$106M
Fort Lauderdale, FL-based digital infrastructure company

Legend Capital and Bertelsmann Group
Viture
$100M
San Francisco, CA-based XR glasses maker

March 4th, 2026|Scherzer Deal Report|

The Scherzer Deal Report: February 16-20, 2026

Here is this week’s Deal Report for private equity and venture capital activity for US-based PE and VC firms and portfolio companies, brought to you by Scherzer International.

Sign up: Get private equity and venture capital deals delivered to your inbox every week!

Fundraising for PE & VC Funds

Battery Ventures
$3.25B
15th flagship fund

Dragonfly
$650M
Fourth fund

Frist Cressey Ventures
$425M
Fourth fund

Guardian Capital Partners 
$441M
Fourth fund

HarbourVest 
$1.1B
First fund

HGGC
$3.2B
Fifth fund

JLL Partners 
$1.4B
Ninth fund

Soundcore Capital Partners 
$450M
Third fund

Union Capital
Greenwich, Conn.
$450M

Fourth fund
Veritas Capital
$15.3B
Ninth PE fund

Private Equity Deals

Valiant Solutions
Abile Group
Undisclosed amount
Alexandria, VA-based provider of secure network and cyber services to national security customers

OceanSound Partners
Automated Financial Systems
Undisclosed amount

Exton, PA-based commercial loan servicing company

FCH
Axiflow Technologies
Undisclosed amount
Tampa, FL-based sanitary twin-screw pump solution

PlayPower
BCI Burke
Undisclosed amount
Fond du Lac, WI-based maker of play environments

Center for Social Dynamics
Behavior Change Institute
Undisclosed amount
Albuquerque, NM-based autism services provider

WestView Capital Partners
Benefits All In
Undisclosed amount
Cincinnati, OH-based health care benefit navigation company

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety
CARE Security & Monitoring
Undisclosed amount
Louisville, KY-based security systems provider

Blackstone
Champions Group
$2.5B
Irvine, CA-based residential services provider

Superior Environmental Solutions
ChemWorx
Undisclosed amount
Decatur, AL-based provider of specialized chemical cleaning services

Amberjack Capital Partners
CIMA Services
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based waste management, environmental remediation and industrial services company

The Heritage Group
Forta
Undisclosed amount
Minneapolis, MN-based manufacturer of synthetic fibers for asphalt and concrete

Ariel Alternatives and Cherokee Nation Businesses 
Front Line Power Construction
Undisclosed amount
Houston, TX-based electrical construction and power infrastructure company

HKW 
Handling Systems and Conveyors
Undisclosed amount
Little Rock, AR-based provider crane, hoist, conveyor and tooling solutions

Bregal Sagemount 
Harbor Compliance
Undisclosed amount
Lancaster, PA-based entity compliance solutions

Tencarva
Hoffman-Kane Distributors
Undisclosed amount
Pittsburgh, PA-based provider of industrial fluid handling and sealing solutions

Flow Control Management
Kingston Valve Co.
Undisclosed amount
Torrance, CA-based industrial valve maker

Prime AE Group
Klavon Design Associates
Undisclosed amount
Pittsburgh, PA-based landscape architecture and planning services company

Palisade Infrastructure and SER Capital Partners
MicroGrid Networks
Undisclosed amount
New York City, NY-based battery energy storage systems company

GenNx360 Capital Partners 
NVI
Undisclosed amount
Gray, LA-based compliance and testing company for energy infrastructure, industrial manufacturing, power generation markets

Centralis Group
PINE Advisor Solutions
Undisclosed amount
Denver, CO-based provider of fund services

Bay
Pine Relation
Undisclosed amount
Chicago, IL-based insurance broker

Cerberus Capital Management 
Vivace International
Undisclosed amount
New Orleans, LA-based propulsion tanks and aerospace systems company

The Eagle Leasing Company
West Brothers Trailers and Containers4Less
Undisclosed amount
Raleigh, NC-based providers of shipping containers and semi-trailer rentals

The Riverside Company
Western Botanicals
Undisclosed amount
Spanish Fork, UT-based vitamins and supplements development organization

Venture Capital Deals

Bessemer Venture Partners, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, SEI, and Vanguard
Avantos
$25M
New York City, NY-based onboarding system for financial institutions

Iconiq, a16z, basecase, and Greylock
Braintrust
$80M
San Francisco, CA-based developer of AI observability and evaluation tools

Matter Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Micron, MediaTek, and Ericsson
ChipAgents
$50M
Santa Clara, CA-based software company for semiconductor design and verification

Salesforce Ventures, Accel, and Cap B
Code Metal
$1.25B
Boston, MA-based code translation startup for defense and other mission-critical industries

Bain Capital Ventures, Greylock Partners, Definition, and individual investors
Cogent Security
$42M
San Francisco, CA-based vulnerability management company

Engine Ventures, ABB, Cerberus Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures, Clean Energy Ventures, Fine Structure Ventures, Helios Climate Ventures, MCJ, and Piedmont Capital
DG Matrix
$60M
Morrisville, NC-based solid-state transformer startup

Asymmetric Capital Partners and The O.H.I.O. Fund
Eagle Wireless
$30M
Cleveland, OH-based cellular module manufacturer

Triatomic Capital, Eclipse, Union Square Ventures, Overlap Holdings, Box Group, RTX Ventures, Toyota Ventures, and Overmatch Ventures
Efficient Computer
$60M
Pittsburgh, PA-based maker of energy-efficient processors

Apandion, AE Ventures, Founders Fund, Linse Capital, NVentures, Threshold Ventures, and Two Sigma Venture
Freeform
$67M
Hawthorne, CA-based 3D-printing metal manufacturing company

Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism Fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Capricorn Investment Group, Energy Impact Partners, Gigascale Capital, and Valor Atreides AI Fund
Heron Power
$140M
Scotts Valley, CA-based maker of solid-state transformers

Insight Partners, F-Prime, Allianz Life Ventures, TIAA, Battery Ventures, Sorenson Capital, Pelion Venture Partners, and Citi Ventures
Jump
$80M
Salt Lake City, UT-based AI meeting assistant for financial advisors

Wellington Management, TCGX, JPMorgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Janus Henderson Investors, Sanofi Ventures, and Foresite Capital
Korsana Bioscience
$175M
Waltham, MA-based Alzheimer’s biotech

IAG, Shell, Groupe ADP, LanzaTech, and Mitsui
LanzaJet
$47M
Deerfield, IL-based sustainable aviation fuel maker

Thrive Capital, Also Capital, and Banner VC
Mesh Optical
$50M
Los Angeles, CA-based developer of optical tech for data centers

Pantera Capital, Multicoin, Makers Fund, Edge Equity, Forerunner, and NFX
Novig
$75M
New York City, NY-based sports prediction market

FPV Ventures, Vertex Ventures, ADP Ventures, YC, and Restive Ventures
Onshore
$31M
New York City, NY-based corporate tax incentives startup

Alpha Edison, Mercato Partners, Intuit Ventures, Left Lane Capital, First Round Capital, Long Journey Ventures, Proof Fund, and Wonder Ventures
Ownwell
$30M
Austin, TX-based residential property taxes appeals platform

Catalio Capital
ProSomnus
$35M
Pleasanton, CA-based maker of a discreet sleep apnea device

Georgian, Addition, Bessemer, General Catalyst, and 01A
Render
$100M
San Francisco, CA-based cloud infrastructure startup

Konvoy Ventures, Shield Capital, DNS Capital, Techstars, Tanis Venture Management, Crumpton Ventures, and Dorado Group
Seasats
$20M
San Diego, CA-based small uncrewed surface vehicles company

AVP, Ansa Capital, Two Bear Capital, and Sinewave Ventures
Selector
$32M
Santa Clara, CA-based observability and network intelligence company

Team8 and SignalFire
Solid
$20M
New York City, NY-basedstartup adding business context to data

A16z, Lightspeed, Sapphire Ventures, and Sequoia Capital
Temporal
$300M
Seattle, WA-based microservices orchestration startup

Ara Partners and APG Asset Management
Utility Global
$100M
Houston, TX-based decarbonization company

Blue Owl Capital, Sixth Street Growth, Neuberger Berman, SLW, Morgan Stanley, Franklin Templeton, TIAA Ventures, and Harbour
Vest Vestwell
$385M
New York City, NY-based 401k savings plan company

Sorenson Capital,National Grid Partners, Ten Eleven Ventures, and In-Q-Tel
VulnCheck
$25M
Lexington, MA-based exploit intelligence startup

February 25th, 2026|Scherzer Deal Report|

Googling Job Applicants: Legal? Yes. Risky? Yes.

In today’s hiring landscape, it’s almost second nature for employers to type an applicant’s name into Google or check out their social media. If the information is public, it must be fair game, right?

Not exactly. While you can look, doing so without a structured process can expose your organization to significant legal and compliance risks.

Public Information Is Accessible But Comes With Hidden Liability

Employers may view publicly available online content without obtaining specific authorization. However, a simple search can unintentionally reveal protected characteristics such as age, race, religion, disability status, or pregnancy. Once discovered, this information could fuel discrimination claims if the applicant later challenges a hiring decision. The principle is simple: what’s seen can’t be unseen, and that creates risk.

Private Accounts Are Off-Limits

No employer should ever:

  • Request social media passwords
  • Ask applicants to access private accounts
  • Send “friend” requests to gain entry
  • Ask for screenshots of private content

In California, these actions are illegal under Labor Code § 980. Many other states have enacted similar protections.

FCRA Applies If Using An Outside Service

If an employer hires any third-party service to review an applicant’s online presence, the process becomes a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).That means employers must:

  • Provide a standalone written disclosure
  • Obtain written authorization
  • Follow pre-adverse and adverse action procedures before rejecting based on the report

Ignoring FCRA obligations is one of the most common and expensive hiring pitfalls.

Best Practices To Reduce Risk

To protect your organization and ensure a fair, compliant hiring process:

  • Create a structured, consistent process for any online screening.
  • Use a “firewall” between the person viewing online content and the final decision-maker.
  • Limit reviews to public, job-related information only.
  • Document your screening approach and maintain it across roles.
  • Apply the same process to all candidates to avoid disparate treatment.

 

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The summary provided in this alert does not, and cannot, cover in detail what employers need to know about the amendments to the Philadelphia Fair Chance Law or how to incorporate its requirements into their hiring process. No recipient should act or refrain from acting based on any information provided here without advice from a qualified attorney licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.

February 24th, 2026|Compliance Corner, Employment Decisions|

The Scherzer Deal Report: February 6-13, 2026

Here is this week’s Deal Report for private equity and venture capital activity for US-based PE and VC firms and portfolio companies, brought to you by Scherzer International.

Sign up: Get private equity and venture capital deals delivered to your inbox every week!

Fundraising for PE & VC Funds

All Aboard Fund
New York City, NY
$99M
Debut fund

Brigade Capital Management
New York City, NY
$1B
Private credit fund

Primary Venture Partners
New York City, NY
$675M
Fifth flagship seed fund

Seligman Ventures
Menlo Park, CA
$500M
Debut fund

Private Equity Deals

Gauge Capital
AAI
Undisclosed amount
Westminster, CO-based insurance network

Proofpoint
Acuvity
Undisclosed amount
Sunnyvale, CA-based provider of AI enterprise security and governance solutions

CapitalSpring
Alloy Personal Training
Undisclosed amount
Roswell, GA-based provider of personalized fitness training

Hellman & Friedman
Bill Holdings
Undisclosed amount
San Jose, CA-based business payments firm

Supreme Group
Broth
Undisclosed amount
New York City, NY-based health-care commercialization creative agency

White Cap
Colony Hardware
Undisclosed amount
Orange, CT-based direct-to-jobsite distributor of construction materials

By Light
Dignitas
Undisclosed amount
Newark, NJ-based provider of modeling, simulation, and training products

Pavilion Payments
Ditronics
Undisclosed amount
Las Vegas, NV-based provider of funds access services to the gaming industry

Left Lane Auto
Don Foshay’s
Undisclosed amount
Portland, ME-based auto repair and maintenance chain

General Atlantic
European Wax Center
$330B
Plano, TX-based provider of waxing services

Lone Star Funds
Hillenbrand
$3.8B
Batesville, IN-based plastic parts maker

Direct Marketing Solutions
Johnson & Quin
Undisclosed amount
Niles, IL-based direct marketing firm

Industrial Service Solutions
MSHS Pacific Power Group
Undisclosed amount
Fort Lauderdale, FL-based MRO for the energy, industrial and national defense sectors

Patient Square Capital
Paradigm
Undisclosed amount
Walnut Creek, CA-based specialty care management organization

Novaria Group
Plasma Ruggedized Solutions
Undisclosed amount
San Jose, CA-based provider of conformal coatings for sensitive electronics

Cinven
Regenity Biosciences
Undisclosed amount
Paramus, NJ-based bioresorbable technologies company

Mission Wealth
RightPath Investments & Financial Planning
Undisclosed amount
Frisco, CO-based fiduciary wealth advisory

TPG
Sabre Industries
$3.5B
Alvarado, TX-based provider of infrastructure for power utilities, telecoms and data centers

Province
StoneTurn
Undisclosed amount
Boston, MA-based disputes and investigations firm

KPS Capital Partners
The Wells Cos.
Undisclosed amount
Albany, MN-based maker and installer of architectural and structural precast concrete solutions

MKB Co.
US Silt & Site Supply
Undisclosed amount
Bow, NH-based maker of erosion and sediment control products

Halo Partners
W.O. Grubb
Undisclosed amount
North Chesterfield, VA-based provider of cranes and other heavy equipment

Venture Capital Deals

Playground Global, Segra Capital, NGP, Mercator Partners, Alumni Ventures, 8VC, Logos, Simon Holmes à Court, and Isabelle Boemeke 
Alva Energy
$33M
Cambridge, MA-based nuclear energy company

Bessemer Venture Partners, GV, Modern Capital, and Threshold Ventures
Inertia Enterprises
$450M
San Francisco, CA-based fusion energy startup 

AT&T Ventures, John Deere, Capital, Google, Mercedes-Benz, and PEAK6
Apptronik
$520M
Austin, TX-based developer of humanoid robots

Sapphire Ventures, Greylock, Thomson Reuters Ventures, and Canvas Ventures
Bretton AI
$75M
San Francisco, CA-based financial crime compliance startup

Chemistry, Headline, and M12
Didero
$30M
New York City, NY-based builder of procurement agents

Felicis, Madrona, M12, and Basis Set
Entire
$60M
San Francisco, CA-based AI coding startup 

Eclipse, Ibex Investors, Lifeline Ventures, and JIMCO
Ever
$31M
San Francisco, CA-based EV marketplace

Kleiner Perkins, Redpoint, Maverick Capital, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, Mercy, and Plus Capital
Garner
$118M
New York City, NY-based health-care navigation company

Smith Point Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, XRC Ventures, and Hillman Investments
Gather AI
$40M
Pittsburgh, PA-based AI platform for warehouse cameras and drones

RA Capital Management, Janus Henderson Investors, and BNP Paribas Asset Management
ILiAD Biotechnologies
$115M
Weston, FL-based whooping cough vaccine developer

Longevity Fund and Baillie Gifford
Loyal
$100M
San Francisco, CA-based developer of lifespan extension drugs for dogs

Red Dot Capital, Leaders Fund, Secret Chord Ventures, Cerca Partners, Caffeinated Capital, and Velocity
XMatia
$21M
Miami, FL-based data ops unification startup

Founders Fund and Human Capital
Monaco
$35M
San Francisco, CA-based AI sales startup

Draper Associates, New Vista Capital, Soma Capital, 2 VC, VU Venture Partners, Wave FX, Type One Ventures, The Veterans Fund, and Flexport
Natilus
$28M
San Diego, CA-based maker of blended-wing aircraft

Walden Catalyst, Intel Capital, Race Capital, Storm Ventures, Thomvest, and Advanced Technology Research Council
Opaque
$24M
San Francisco, CA-based AI platform for sensitive data

USIT, Eclipse Ventures, Counterpart Ventures, Riot Ventures, Intel Capital, Friends and Family Capital, and Jane Street
Oxide Computer Co.
$200M
Emeryville, CA-based private cloud computing startup

General Atlantic, Nvidia, Adobe Ventures, and AMD Ventures
Runway
$315M
New York City, NY-based AI video startup

Vista Equity Partners, Cambium Capital, and Intel Samba
Nova
$350M
Palo Alto, CA-based AI chipmaker

Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, A*, Hanabi Capital, Fei-Fei Li, and Andrej Karpathy
Simile
$100M
Palo Alto, CA-based developer of an AI model for predicting human behavior

IVP, investors Menlo Ventures, SignalFire, Torch Capital, Inspired Capital, and RiverPark Ventures
Solace Health
$130M
Redwood City, CA-based platform connecting patients with health advocates

Perceptive Advisors, a16z, Sofina, blisce, and Left Lane Capital
Talkiatry
$210M
New York City, NY-based psychiatric care startup

Primary, Builders VC, E1 Ventures, Proximity, Refactor Capital, Tusk Ventures, and Wonder Ventures
TBC
$25M
San Francisco, CA-based biological computing startup

Engine Ventures, IAG Capital Partners, Cadence and Geodesic Capital
Trener Robotics
$32M
San Francisco, CA-based robot skills platform for manufacturing

Curql, Silverton Partners, 645 Ventures, Broadridge, Green Visor Capital, Live Oak Ventures, First Capital, Epic Ventures, Tau Ventures, and Evolution VC
Uptiq
$25M
McKinney, TX-based builder of AI agents for lending and wealth workflows inside financial institutions

February 18th, 2026|Scherzer Deal Report|

Your Next Hire Is Online. Here’s How to Screen Them Legally.

Social media screening is legal, but only if done right. Here are the essentials.

Federal nondiscrimination laws still apply.
Anything that reveals protected characteristics (race, religion, disability, age, pregnancy, etc.) cannot influence a hiring decision.

Using a third‑party screener? That triggers the FCRA.
Employers must provide a standalone disclosure, get written authorization, and follow pre‑adverse and adverse‑action steps. Accuracy rules also apply and the CFPB is enforcing them more aggressively.

28 states restrict employer access to personal social media.
Most ban requesting login credentials, requiring applicants to log in on the spot and demanding they add HR as a “friend.” In some states, even asking for a username may create risk.  

Public vs. private content matters.
Employers may review public posts but accessing private content without permission can violate the federal Stored Communications Act.

NLRA protections apply online.
Employees’ posts about wages or working conditions may be protected concerted activity. Don’t treat them as negative findings.

California adds extra compliance layers.
ICRAA and CCRAA impose stricter disclosures when using third‑party screeners.

Best Practices

Use a consistent, documented process focused ONLY on job‑related behaviors (e.g., threats, fraud, harassment). Keep decision makers away from protected information. Never request access credentials. Stick to public content. And follow the FCRA if a third-party is involved.

 

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The summary provided in this alert does not, and cannot, cover in detail what employers need to know about the amendments to the Philadelphia Fair Chance Law or how to incorporate its requirements into their hiring process. No recipient should act or refrain from acting based on any information provided here without advice from a qualified attorney licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.

February 5th, 2026|Compliance Corner, Employment Decisions|

The Scherzer Deal Report: January 26-30, 2026

Here is this week’s Deal Report for private equity and venture capital activity for US-based PE and VC firms and portfolio companies, brought to you by Scherzer International.

Sign up: Get private equity and venture capital deals delivered to your inbox every week!

Fundraising for PE & VC Funds

Basis Set
$250M
Fourth VC fund

Epidarex
$145M
Fourth fund

Leonard Green & Partners
$3.6B
Continuation fund

Obvious Ventures
$360M
Fifth fund

Social Leverage
$85M
Fifth seed-stage fund

Yosemite
$200M
Second fund

Private Equity Deals

AEA Investors
829 Studios
Undisclosed amount
Boston, MA-based digital marketing firm

Bain Capital
APP Jet Center
Undisclosed amount
Fort Pierce, FL-based provider of aviation services at supply-constrained U.S. airports

Blackstone
Arlington Industries
Undisclosed amount
Charlotte, NC-based maker of electrical products

Southfield Capital
Contextual.io
Undisclosed amount
Guilford, CT-based AI orchestration platform

CVC Capital Partners
Equine Network
Undisclosed amount
Albuquergue, NM-based U.S. equestrian sports league

Accel-KKR
Exxat
Undisclosed amount
Warren, NJ-based provider of clinical and experiential education tech

Excellere Partners
Hinterland
Undisclosed amount
Riviera Beach, FL-based provider of underground water infrastructure maintenance and repair solutions

Main Post Partners
HomeWell
Undisclosed amount
Burkburnett, TX-based national franchisor of non-medical, in-home senior care

Liberty Mutual Investments
Mascarene Partners
Undisclosed amount
New York, NY-based infrastructure investment firm

Incline Equity Partners
MCCi
Undisclosed amount
Tallahassee, FL-based enterprise content management and workflow automation solution

Astō Consumer Partners
OatsOvernight
Undisclosed amount
Tempe, AZ-based manufacturer of oatmeal-based nutritional breakfasts

Brentwood Associates and Tenex Capital Management
Perennial Services Group
Undisclosed amount
Pittsburgh, PA-based provider of lawn care, pest control, landscaping, and arbor services

JLL Partners
PowerParts Group
Undisclosed amount
West Bend, IN-baserd provider of replacement parts and field services for gas and steam power turbines

Rubicon Technology Partners
Procede Software
Undisclosed amount
San Diego, CA-based provider of dealer management systems for the commercial vehicle industry

Conscious Capital Growth and Petra Capital Partners
RD Nutrition
Undisclosed amount
Bellevue, NE-based provider of dietitian consulting services to health-care facilities

MML Capital
RTM Engineering Consultants
Undisclosed amount
Schaumberg, IL-based MEP, civil, and structural engineering consultancy

Inspirit Equity
Sizemore
Undisclosed amount
Augusta, GA-based provider of outsourced facility management services

First Reserve
WGI
Undisclosed amount
West Palm Beach, FL-based engineering, design and infrastructure solutions provider

Venture Capital Deals

USVP, New Era Capital Partners, Forgepoint Capital, Pitango VC, and Vertex Ventures
Adaptive6

$44M
New York, NY-based provider of cloud cost governance solutions

Athos KG and America’s Frontier Fund
Antheia
$24M
Menlo Park, CA-based biosynthesis company

Matrix,Flybridge, Xfund, Corazon Capital, Alumni Ventures, Umami Capital, and YC
BoldVoice
$21M
New York, NY-based voice coaching platform for non-native English speakers

BlackRock, Eclipse, T. Rowe Price, Baillie Gifford, Duquesne Family Office, Intuitive Ventures, EDBI, Gates Frontier, DC Global Ventures, DFJ Growth, and Willett Advisors
Cellares

$257M
South San Francisco, CA-based cell therapy manufacturing platform

Jump Capital, Crosslink Capital, Storm Ventures, Permanent Capital, HR Tech Investments, and PagsGroup
Compa
$35M
Irvine, CA-based provider of real-time compensation data to companies

Coatue, Index Ventures, ChemistryVC, Definition Capital, Starwood Capital, a16z, A*, Accel, Avra, Bain Capital Ventures, Elad Gil, Forerunner, Ribbit Capital, and T.Capital
Decagon

$250M
San Francisco, CA-based AI concierge startup

AMD, Arm, Coherent, Meta, Samsung Catalyst Fund, and Intel Capital
Eliyan
$50M
Santa Clara, CA-based maker of connectivity products for computing system

RPS Ventures, Lightspeed, Lux Capital, Insight Partners, Capgemini Ventures, Dallas VC, Dentsu Ventures, Mozilla Ventures, LG Technology Ventures, Benhamou Global Ventures, and LDV Partners
Fiddler AI
$30M
Palo Alto, CA-based observability and security platform

GV, Sequoia Capital, and Index Ventures
Flapping Airplanes
$180M
San Francisco, CA-based frontier data efficiency lab

Redpoint Ventures
Flora AI
$42M
Brooklyn, NY-based node-based design tool

New Investment Solutions and MIG Capital
GlassPoint
$20M
New York, NY-based seller of solar-generated steam for industrial use

Lightspeed, Optum Ventures, Crystal Venture Partners, Virtue, and MVP Ventures
Gyde
$60M
Austin, TX-based health insurance brokerage

Dragonfly Capital, Paradigm, Moderne Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, SBI Investment, and Liberty City Ventures
Mesh
$75M
San Francisco, CA-based crypto payments network

Friends & Family Capital and Goldcrest Capital
Northslope
$22M
Denver, CO-based customized AI application developer

Washington Harbour Partners and a16z
Northwood Space
$100M
El Segundo, CA-based developer of shared infrastructure for satellite backhaul

Iconiq, CRV, and S32
Outtake
$40M
New York, NY-based automation platform for cybersecurity

FYRFLY Venture Partners, Surface Ventures, YC, 468 Capital, Operator Collective, Hico Ventures, and Neuron Venture Partners
Poetiq
$45.8M
Mountain View, CA-based developer of an “AI meta-system,”Google, Capricorn, and

Goldman Sachs
Redwood Materials
$75M
Carson City, NV-based battery recycling and grid storage firm

Lightspeed, DST Global, NVentures, Felicis Ventures, 49 Palms, Radical AI, and Sequoia Capital
Ricursive Intelligence
$300M
Palo Alto, CA-based new frontier AI lab

Sequoia Capital, JPMorgan, Thrive Capital, and Khosla Ventures
Rogo
$75M
New York, NY-based maker of AI agents for dealmakers and investors

Insight Partners, TLV Partners, R-Squared Ventures, Jibe Ventures, Fenwick, and Cooley
Slice Global
$25M
New York, NY-based equity compliance and management startup

Decisive Point, Chevron Technology Ventures, StepStone Group, XTX Ventures, Welara, Fundomo, a16z, Washington Harbour Partners, and Crucible Capital
Standard Nuclear
$140M
Oak Ridge, TN-based producer of TRISO nuclear fuel

ARC PE and Azora Capital
Terra Energy
$105M
Houston, TX-based seller of home solar as a short-term subscription

Atlantic Vantage Point, Eniac Ventures, Amplo VC, and Scrum Ventures
Tradespace
$15M
San Francisco, CA-based IP management platform

Janus Henderson, Balyasny Asset Management, Affinity Asset Advisors, Alexandria Venture Investments, Avego BioScience Capital, Delos Capital, Eli Lilly, J&J Innovation, Pfizer Ventures, Polaris Partners, and SV Health Investors
TRex Bio
$50M
South San Francisco, CA-based developer of precision immunoregulatory medicines based on tissue Treg biology

Bessemer Venture Partners, Salesforce Ventures, Picture Capital, Greylock, Cyberstarts, Leaders Fund, Craft Ventures, TCV, Alta Park, Cerca Partners, Swish Ventures, and Penny Jar Capital
Upwind Security
$250M
San Francisco, CA-based cloud security startup

Lightspeed, QED Investors, Illuminate Financial, Motive Partners, Expanse Venture Partners, Entrée Capital, and 14Peaks Capital
Zocks
$45M
San Francisco, CA-based AI platform for financial advisors

February 4th, 2026|Scherzer Deal Report|

Bankruptcy Records: Credit Reports Erase Them But Employment Background Checks Find Them

Many people assume that once a bankruptcy drops off their credit report, it disappears everywhere.

Not true. And this difference matters, especially for employers and job seekers.

Credit Reports Follow Standard FCRA Time Limits

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), national consumer reporting agencies (TransUnion, Experian, Equifax) must remove bankruptcies after specific time periods:

  • Chapter 7: reportable for up to 10 years
  • Chapter 13: typically removed after 7 years, sometimes sooner
    Once these limits are reached, credit bureaus delete the record entirely, meaning they cannot provide it for any purpose, including employment screening.

Employment Background Checks Work Differently

Employment screening companies are also consumer reporting agencies under the FCRA, but they don’t rely solely on credit bureaus. They frequently pull records directly from the courthouse, which may contain older bankruptcy filings long after the credit bureaus deleted them.

Under the FCRA’s $75,000 salary exception, employment background check companies may report adverse information with no time limit. So if a bankruptcy exists in public court records, it may still appear on an employment background check even though it no longer appears on a credit report.

State Reporting Laws Add Another Layer

Several states have their own rules on how long bankruptcy records may be reported in employment background checks–specifically California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Texas, and Washington. California, for example, prohibits reporting a bankruptcy that is more than 10 years old measured from the date of the relief order, unless a narrow exception applies.

Bottom Line

A bankruptcy “dropping off” your credit report does not guarantee it disappears from employment background checks. Different rules, different timelines.

 

Disclaimer: This communication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The summary provided in this alert does not, and cannot, cover in detail what employers need to know about the amendments to the Philadelphia Fair Chance Law or how to incorporate its requirements into their hiring process. No recipient should act or refrain from acting based on any information provided here without advice from a qualified attorney licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.

January 29th, 2026|Compliance Corner, Employment Decisions|
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