Ohio State University Extension Civilian Background Check Policy and Procedures

Ohio State University Extension
Civilian Background Check
Policy and Procedures

Policy:

All newly hired employees must agree to a civilian background check conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI&I) to OSU Extension Human Resources prior to their employment start date. This departmental policy aligns with the university’s Background Check Policy 4.15 Minimum Standards for Conducting and all other background check related policies.

Definitions:

Background Check Coordinator (BCC) – OSU Extension Human Resources employee designated to administer the background check process.
Criminal Conviction – being found guilty, entering a guilty plea, or pleading no contest to a felony, misdemeanor and/or ordinance violation other than a minor traffic violation.
Hiring Manager – individual responsible for selecting the final candidate for employment (i.e., county director, regional director, unit leader, department chair, assistant director, associate director or director).

Rationale:

To promote a safe and secure environment for its faculty, staff, youth, volunteers, clientele, and stakeholders, OSU Extension will take reasonable steps to ensure hiring decisions effectively contribute to lessening unnecessary risk. OSU Extension and The Ohio State University has established this background check policy to accomplish this purpose.

Procedures:

• Employees being considered for employment must fill out and sign the Background Check Disclosure, Authorization, and Release Form. Once this form is completed, a background check will be performed. Hiring manager should make clear to candidate that employment is contingent upon results of this background check .
• Newly hired employees, including students and temps, who have had a civilian background check completed within the previous 12 months from date of hire may submit a copy of that report to OSU Extension Human Resources. Newly hired employees may have the background check done while visiting the OSU campus through the OSU Police Department or done locally (their home county or state) and have results sent to OSU Extension Human Resources. A list of sites that will do the checks can be found using this link: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Services/Business/WebCheck/Webcheck-Community-Listing.  This link can show testing sites by county name or by zip code.
• Each OSU Extension unit is responsible for all expenses associated with having the background check completed. The unit hiring may directly pay fingerprinting agency or reimburse the individual after he/she submits a receipt.

Types of Checks Required and Conducted:  

Criminal Records – BCI&I performs a fingerprint check, which identifies past instances of criminal felonies and misdemeanors.

National Sexual Offender Registry – covered under BCI&I fingerprint check.

Approval Process:

Results of the background check are to be sent to the Background Check Coordinator (BCC) to analyze and notify hiring manager of the results. No matter what the results (successful or unsuccessful) the BCC must adhere to a strict level of confidentiality at all time. At no time are any details of background checks to be disclosed. When communicating with the hiring manager, BCC will only use “eligible for hire” or “ineligible for hire.” The Leader, Human Resources will serve as the second level approver for candidates with questionable results.

Eligible for Hire

If the report comes back with successful results (no record) the BCC will notify the hiring manager of the successful report and eligibility for hire.

Ineligible for Hire

If a report comes back with unsuccessful results , the BCC will notify the job candidate and send copy of results, along with the Pre-Adverse Action Letter and a copy of the Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) form. This information will notify the candidate that due to information revealed in the background check, it may be determined that they should be disqualified from consideration unless supplementary documentation is provided to refute the information within five business days for the date of letter.

If, after the Pre-Adverse Action Letter is sent, it is determined that the candidate will NOT be hired, the Adverse Action Letter is sent. This letter informs the candidate of the decision to revoke any offer of employment based on information provided from the background check reporting agency. It also states that the candidate has 60 days from date of letter to contact the agency for disclosure of information or to dispute the accuracy of the report.

 

Records Retention:

For candidates who ARE hired:

• Results are to be retained until reviewed by the BCC and a decision of hire is made. After hiring, BCC will destroy the results to ensure confidentiality.
• BCC must retain ONLY the Background Check Disclosure Authorization and Release Form:
• For the length of employment PLUS three years.
• In a secured (LOCKED) file cabinet.
• Separate from the candidate’s personnel file.

For candidates who ARE NOT hired:

• BCC must retain BOTH the results and the Background Check Disclosure Authorization  and Release Form:
• For three years
• In a secured (LOCKED) file cabinet.
• Separate from other documents generated by the selection process.

Resources:

Forms

• Background Check Disclosure, Authorization and Release Form
• Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

Related Documents

• Background Check Policy 4.15
• Background Check Policy 4.15 Minimum Standards for Conducting
• Background Check Policy 4.15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Background Check Policy 4.15 Required Background Checks

Approved by OSU Human Resources May 6, 2009