Background Checks on Volunteers

Scenario 1: you want to volunteer your time and talent to your favorite charity. Scenario 2: You want to join an organization that engages in public service activities. For either scenario, would you be insulted if you were asked to undergo a background check?

Organizations like the Girl Scout Councils include background checks as part of the standard process of bringing anyone on-board: from the volunteer troop leader to the accountant. Other un-named organizations that pride themselves on doing things in the community like organizing fundraisers that involve interaction with the public often do not conduct background checks on their members.

In general charity and non-profit organizations are becoming more cautious about the people who are ultimately acting as representatives for them to the public. More and more are conducting background screenings on their volunteers, especially in light of incidents like what happened in Rochester, IL. Justin Weaver, one of the volunteers at the Rochester Fire Department, was recently arrested on federal child pornography charges. Apparently, he had the audacity to wear his uniform in some of the questionable images found on his computer.

What people fail to recognize is that the Rochester situation does NOT fully support conducting background checks. When Mr. Weaver was hired he had a spotless record and a background check would have come back clean. The key to a successful background check policy is conducting on-going checks. It is more possible that when a person is hired they have not committed any crimes but commits a crime while employed, and unless a periodic check is done an employer may not know.

Regardless if you are hiring employees, accepting the assistance of volunteers or engaging people who are representing your company/brand to the public the key is to establish a process of periodic checks.