Background checks met with some remorse

While not always considered to be full-time employees, volunteers in industries that have involve contact with youths still need to be checked for criminal histories. Several schools in recent months have experienced issues following a failure to conduct adequate background checks of their volunteers, employees and others. The Tampa Bay Times reported that the Pinellas County School District in Florida recently decided to conduct more costly, comprehensive background checks. According to the source, while volunteers help the district thrive both financially and operationally, screenings were not always as bulletproof as they should have been. Now, officials in the school district have mandated the use of Level II background screening for all volunteers, which the source noted costs roughly $50 per check. This has been met by some scrutiny on behalf of employees, students, parents and more, though the officials of the district assert that it is an expenditure worth paying. Between timing, subject matter and more, background checks can be a confusing process. Employers need to ensure that they are meeting all of the standards as outlined by the law, along with industry-specific best practices, to maintain the integrity of operations and safety of patrons.