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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH INITIATIVE | |
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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN & YOUTH INITIATIVE
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Volunteer Background Checks
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Volunteer Background Check Who will have to undergo a background check? The Archdiocesan Volunteer Background Check policy requires background checks on any volunteer of this Archdiocese who regularly works or has contact with minors or vulnerable adults in a supervisory, leadership, chaperone, care-giving, teaching or similar relationship. A volunteer is anyone that is not a paid staff person who acts under the direction of a parish, Catholic school, or other Catholic organization in the Archdiocese, or who undertakes a task on behalf of the parish, Catholic school or other Catholic organization in the Archdiocese. Regular means contact through a foreseeable activity. For example, contact once a year each year is regular. It refers to acting in a volunteer capacity even once in a programmed activity. For example, being a chaperone once a year on an overnight youth trip, a catechist teaching a class., a pastoral minister taking Holy Communion to a shut-in elderly person. The word contact does not have a precise definition here, but means anyone who is in close proximity to minors or vulnerable adults on a regular basis in their role as a volunteer. For example, athletic coaches and day care workers. Contact does not necessarily mean anyone who just happens to be in the same room or area as a minor or vulnerable adult. A minor is any person under 18 years old. The definition of vulnerable adult as defined in Minnesota law is extensive, but generally includes two main categories of persons.
Background checks are being done to protect children, vulnerable adults
and other volunteers. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
has committed to create a safe environment in the Catholic Church. This
commitment was expressed in the Charter for the Protection of Children
and Young People. The Charter requires background checks for
volunteers. The Archdiocesan policy on Volunteer Background checks
requires each parish and other organization to do background checks. Who is going to do my background check? The Archdiocese has chosen The McDowell Agency to perform the checks.
Currently, background checks for volunteers include the following checks:
If
part of the volunteer job is to drive, an additional check will be done
on the volunteer’s driving record. If part of the volunteer job is to
handle money, an additional check will be done on the volunteer’s credit
history. Does the background check include a credit check? The governing law on background checks conducted by third parties is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The law began in order to regulate consumer credit reports, e.g. reports used by department stores to decide who they would allow to open charge accounts. The FCRA has been expanded multiple times to include employment and to relate to criminal records and other investigations. Although the FCRA does not specifically cover volunteers, the parishes and organizations of the Archdiocese treat volunteers as if they had the same rights as applicants and employees. If the volunteer position involves the handling of money, the volunteer will be asked to authorize a credit check as an addition to the normal background check. If the volunteer position does not involve handling money, the volunteer should not be asked to authorize a credit check. If asked, the volunteer has the right to refuse authorization of the credit check. The authorization forms clearly identify credit checks as an additional option.
Additional information on your rights can be found on the form-A Summary
of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Do I have to pay for my background check? No. The place where you minister will cover the cost.
In most cases, the parish maintains an up to date list of those who have passed a volunteer background check. Only staff members who have the need and right to know this information will have access to this list. Only a much smaller group (designated by the pastor, principal or parish business administrator) who has a right and need to know will have access to the actual report. This will be for decision-making purposes about the role of a person as a volunteer. No one else will have access.
Records of volunteer background checks must be kept in a separate locked file where access is strictly limited. The records will be treated with the same care and standards of confidentiality that files for paid staff personnel are kept. We keep records of volunteer background checks for the same time we keep such records for employees: indefinitely.
When a person refuses to allow a background check for any
reason this means that they cannot
volunteer in a capacity that requires a volunteer background check. They
may volunteer in other capacities. There are no
exceptions. What if I have a criminal conviction on my record? If the volunteer does have a criminal conviction and does not feel it would interfere with volunteer responsibilities, he/she should talk to the pastor or appropriate staff. In making the decision, the pastor or appropriate staff should consider such facts as the type of crime and how it relates to the volunteer position, the surrounding circumstances, the time since the conviction, the volunteers history of the behavior since, and the volunteer’s openness and honesty. A past conviction does not automatically exclude service as a volunteer.
You
will be informed. You will also be told if the parish has decided not
to use you as a volunteer in certain ministries. As mentioned
previously, you have a right to know what the report contained and to
dispute inaccurate items with the source. How is the information about the background check protected when it is transmitted over the internet? MCDOWELLAGENCY.COM uses multiple layers of security to ensure information is kept in confidence. From the point of entry, the information is encrypted upon submission to the web server. MCDOWELLAGENCY.COM uses 128 bit SSL security, with a security certificate provided by Verisign. The web server is running a specialized Web only version of Windows 2003, is behind both hardware and software firewalls, and is locked in a secure/armed guard network operations center in the Twin Cities area. |
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