One of the most important responsibilities of an administrator is employing trustworthy and quality educators, and one way to ensure the credibility of your staff is through background checks. With the well-being of students on the line, thorough background checks should be a key factor in the hiring process. They are a cornerstone of any good risk management program.
While regulations vary from state to state, there are certain federal resources, including the Adam Walsh Act and the National Sex Offender Registry that can help educational facilities ensure the integrity of their teachers. Using these and other resources, you will ensure that the educators you hire live up to your community’s standards.
Federal Resources
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 allows various educational and child welfare entities access to the FBI repository of criminal history information.
The National Sex Offender Registry is maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice and is a cooperative agreement between states that maintain sex offender registries and the federal government.
Advantages of Pre-Screening
Job applicants with a criminal record may not disclose this information. Consider these advantages of pre-screening potential employees using a simple fingerprint-based check through the police and FBI. Prescreening can:
• Discourage applicants from hiding a criminal background or falsifying their credentials.
• Eliminate any uncertainties about applicants in the hiring process.
• Demonstrate due diligence to hire applicants that do not pose a liability.
• Encourage honesty while going through the hiring process.
Taking Further Steps
Beyond screening an applicant, further verification options might include:
• Identity verification
• Social Security number verification
• Employment verification
• Education verification
• Professional license verification
• Motor vehicle reports
• Drug testing
Obligations and Outside Providers
Some administrators find it helpful to outsource the screening process to a background screening service provider. For many screening tasks, such as criminal background checks, outside providers can be faster and more thorough.
It is important when selecting such a provider that you consider a company’s financial statements/health, hiring and employment processes, identity theft safeguards and service offerings.
You have several obligations to the applicant under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including:
• Any applicant on whom an institution performs a background screen must give his or her written authorization to conduct the report.
• If you ultimately deny employment, you must provide notification through pre-adverse action and final adverse action notification letters.
The stakes when hiring educators are high. If you need more information about protecting yourself from liabilities associated with hiring and termination, please contact us. Our insurance experts can keep you covered and give you peace of mind. Click here to learn more about insurance for schools.
