Pennsylvania Governor approves clarifications to background checks

child-protective background checking law. Despite the original law’s intention to protect children from sexual predators by requiring volunteers to undergo criminal history and state police background checks, there was much confusion regarding who the law should apply to, and which types of jobs required mandatory screening. “We thought we’d been specific … giving kind of generalized definitions of who would need a background check,” said. Rep. Kathy Watson. “We really weren’t. It still confused people.” Under the tweaked law, the only people that are required to be fingerprinted and undergo the two mandatory background check processes are those who directly supervise children and those who are responsible for a child’s welfare. Family caregivers will also require screening. Gov. Wolf also clarified that volunteers will not be responsible for paying for their own background checks, and that those fees will be waived. University employees, administrative staff, and non-supervisory school volunteers will not require mandatory fingerprinting or either of the two background checking processes mentioned. Some universities and schools are continuing to take caution and conduct those checks anyway, but the law clarified that those checks are not required by state law. Hopefully these clarifications will make it easier for schools, employers and public service offices to determine who must be screened and who may not require screening. For more information about background screening, and particularly criminal background checks for child welfare, contact Mind Your Business today.]]>