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Office of Legal Counsel and Compliance

Procedure on Background Checks Policy 704

Effective Date: 03/01/2003; revised 05/01/2025

Policy Page

Purpose:

The 猎奇重口 is committed to protecting the security, safety, and health of employees, students, and others, safeguarding the assets and resources of the University. Therefore, the 猎奇重口 has adopted a procedure requiring Pre-Employment Criminal Background Checks, hence forth referred to as background checks. The background check is conducted by a third-party vendor for criminal convictions and does not include a credit check. Additional background checks may be required for specific positions based on position requirements or outside regulations such as police officers and childcare workers. Employees will receive a consent form when submitting information for the background check. Employees can also elect to receive a copy of their background check from the third party vendor.

Background Checks shall be required prior to employing Classified Employees including Temporary Fixed Term, Contract Employees (MUS Contract and Letter of Appointment), Faculty including Adjuncts, and designated Short Term Workers and Student Employees. This procedure includes positions for which recruitments are conducted, along with individuals hired through approved recruitment exceptions.

Procedures:

I. Applicability:

  1. As a condition of hire, Background Checks are required on all applicants offered a faculty, contract professional, or classified staff position
  2. Background checks are required for Classified Temporary Fixed Term employees working six (6) months or longer, except minors (under 18yrs).
  3. All adjuncts are subject to background investigations.
  4. Background Checks are required for students, short-term workers employed less than ninety (90) days, and Classified Temporary Fixed Term hired under six (6) months when they are hired into positions which are safety or security sensitive, including but not limited to police department employees, childcare workers, and Authorized Adults in accordance with the Minors on Campus Policy.
  5. Other categories of individuals may be subject to background checks based on the requirements of the Minors on Campus Policy.
  6. Background Checks may be required at the discretion of the hiring authority for any student employee or any non-student employment appointments that are less than ninety (90) days which include safety or sensitive duties such as handling currency, accounts payable, having access to sensitive computerized databases or laboratories, or having access to a master key.

II. Breaks in Service

  1. For Classified Employees, Contract Professionals (MUS Contract and Letter of Appointment), Faculty, and designated Short Term Workers and Student. Employees with a break in service greater than one (1) year will require a current background check to be conducted.
  2. For Adjuncts with a break in service of greater than two (2) years will require a current background check to be conducted.

III. Notification

  1. Written notification of the requirement to successfully pass a Background Check will be given during advertisement and/or at time of application.
  2. An email notification will be sent to applicants offed a position to initiate a Background Check.
  3. The 猎奇重口 contracts with Accurate, Inc. to conduct domestic background checks.
  4. After 10 days of inactivity, the background check is cancelled and must be re-initiated. 

IV. Initiation of Check

  1. Background Checks will be initiated only by the Talent Acquisition Team of Human Resource Services or by a member of the University Policy Department (UMPD) (referred to in this policy collectively as “Authorized Initiators”).
  2. Authorized Initiators may only initiate Background Checks once they receive confirmation the job candidate accepts the offer, and the hiring authority has identified a start date.
  3. Candidate receives an email invitation to complete background check from Accurate, Inc. and has ten (10) calendar days to submit the information to Accurate. 

V. Background Checks

  1. Background Checks will include, at a minimum, a multi-state criminal background check including felonies and misdemeanors, a social security trace, and a National Sexual Offender Registry check. For specific positions as noted above, Background Checks may also include a credit check (conducted in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act), driver history check, and credentials verification for applicants designated by Human Resources (classified, faculty or contract professional employees) or the Extension Personnel Office (Extension Agents, Faculty or Specialists).
  2. Background Checks conducted by the US Department of Homeland Security for international, non-citizen job candidates as part of the visa process may be considered adequate for the purposes of this policy if the candidate has not previously resided in the United States.

VI. Conditional Offer of Employment

  1. The Background Check should be completed before employment begins. Offers made before a background check has been completed shall be expressly conditional upon successful completion of the Background Check.
  2. Conditional offers shall be withdrawn if the results of the background check are deemed to disqualify the applicant for the position (regardless if conditional employment began).

VII. Results of Background Check

  1. A designated employee in UMPD will review and store results.
  2. Results from a Background Check will be considered in the following manner.
  3. If the Background Check reveals criminal records or other serious misconduct (other than minor traffic violations), the Authorized Initiator will consult with the University Police Chief and the Vice President for People and Culture and the Associate Vice President of Human Resource Services.
  4. To the extent required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), applicants will be informed, in writing, notice of adverse information discovered in the Background Check and given an opportunity to respond. Upon conclusion of the review, written notice will be sent to the candidate regarding the employer’s decision of eligibility for the position.
  5. All results of the Background Check will remain confidential, will be maintained by UMPD, and will be shared with Authorized Initiators, and will be disclosed only to authorized employees who have a need to know in the performance of their job assignments. Criminal background investigation results are protected by laws and regulations governing confidential criminal justice information.
  6. Failure to disclose criminal convictions requested during the application process may result in disqualification for employment or termination of employment.

VIII. Cost

  1. The hiring department may be responsible for the costs associated with the Background Check. The investigation will be conducted by a qualified vendor approved by the University to conduct such investigations. Costs will vary based on the locations candidate has lived and number of names.