4.16 Pre-Employment Background Checks
The Human Resources Office of Bucks County Community College shall perform an appropriate background check on every new full-time employee, every new part-time and per diem employee, and returning adjunct faculty who have not exercised their renewal rights within the time prescribed contractually. Current employees applying for new positions will be subject to the background check process. This background check shall be a condition of employment and prospective employees will be notified of this requirement as part of the application process.
Procedure: Conducting Background Checks
- General Information
- In keeping with its goal of providing a safe and secure environment for students, faculty and staff, the College will conduct pre-employment background checks on applicants for positions within specified classifications. The College Human Resources website and job postings will include a statement informing candidates of this requirement.
- The Human Resources Office will originate and complete all background checks, with the exception of Act 151 child worker clearances for history of child abuse violations.
- At the time of application completion, all applicants will be receive a disclosure of intent to request and obtain a consumer report, a summary of rights under the FCRA, and will be asked to sign an authorization for release of information covered by the FCRA. Individuals unwilling to comply will be eliminated from the selection process.
- Following the identification of the preferred candidate for the position, the Human Resources Department will initiate the background check process and notify the candidate that a background check is in progress. With the exception of adjunct faculty where adequate time does not exist to complete the background investigation process, offers of employment will not be made until the background check results have been obtained and reviewed by the Director of Human Resources and shared with the hiring manager.
- Current employees applying for new positions at the College will be subject to the background check process. Adjunct faculty who have not exercised their renewal rights within the time frame prescribed contractually will be subject to the background check process.
- Requirements by Employee Classification
- Full time and adjunct faculty, administrative staff: Social security search and
verification and county of residence criminal check. Employment verification will be done if requested by the Dean, and motor vehicle license record will be checked if the position in question requires driving a College vehicle. - Adjunct faculty may be hired pending the successful outcome of the background check process, if the time interval between candidate selection and start of class does not permit the completion of the process. However, the department chairperson, prior to extending an offer of employment, must complete the reference check and employment verification process. Should the outcome of the background check be adverse, the eligibility for continued employment will be reviewed as indicated below.
- Classified and Physical Plant staff: Social security search and verification, county of residence criminal check. Motor vehicle license record will be checked if the position in question requires driving a College vehicle.
- Security staff: Social security search and verification, statewide criminal search, and motor vehicle license record.
- Childcare workers: Social security search & verification and state criminal check completed by Human Resources Office. Act 151 child abuse clearance, required by the Commonwealth, will be obtained by the employee and returned by the Director of the Early Learning Center to the Human Resources Office.
- Individuals working with children under the age of 15 in school age programs have legislatively dictated background check requirements. The clearance for these employees typically takes 3 weeks. Childcare workers are permitted to work for 30 days without clearance if they sign the disclosure form provided by the Commonwealth. These employees may be hired pending the successful outcome of the clearance process. Should the outcome of the clearance be adverse, the eligibility for continued employment will be reviewed as indicated below.
- Finance staff and cash-handlers: Social security search, county of residence criminal check, statewide criminal check, and credit history.
- Per diem & contract staff: Social security search & verification and county of residence criminal check on as needed basis as determined by hiring manager in consultation with the Director of Human Resources and the area Dean. Determination of need for background check for per diem employees will be made before the recruiting process is initiated.
- Full time and adjunct faculty, administrative staff: Social security search and
- Pre-Adverse and Adverse Reports
- When an adverse report is received regarding a candidate, the College will notify the applicant via written communication that the background investigation has found records that need further review. The applicant will also be sent the Background Inquiry Statement of Explanation as well as Summary of Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and will be given a timeframe within which he can dispute the information.
- The adverse information obtained from the reporting process will be reviewed by the Director of Human Resources and the area Dean, in consultation with College counsel. The action taken by the College will be determined following a thorough review of the nature of the information received, the relationship to and impact of that information on the mission, welfare, safety, and security of the College and the neighboring community.
- If the College declines to hire an individual because of information obtained as a result of a background investigation, the College will complete the actions necessary to comply with existing statutes. The Human Resources Office will notify the candidate that he is not eligible for employment at the College based on information obtained via avenues regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) utilizing the Notice of Adverse Action letter which contains the information required by law.
- Information obtained via the background investigative process regarding applicants for employment will remain on file in the Human Resources department, along with other materials related to the application process, for the period of time mandated by law.