University of Illinois-Chicago Background Check FAQs

Transcription

1 University of Illinois-Chicago Background Check FAQs 1. When is a criminal background check required? A criminal background check and other pre-employment assessments will be required for any new hires to the University of Illinois in the following employee groups - faculty (tenure track and non-tenure track), staff (academic professional, civil service, extra-help, retiree, or hourly faculty/clinical/research), postdoc research associate, or resident. This does not include graduate or undergraduate student employees, fellows, volunteers, individuals appointed to non-paid positions, and contractors unless they will be working in UI Health or are subject to the University of Illinois Protection of Minors Policy. However, these employees may be subject to a Sanctions check if they will be employed in a HIPPA covered entity or health care based college/unit. Current employees will also be subject to a criminal background check if the following occurs: Transitioning from a Campus position into a position within the U of I Hospital. Transitioning into a position that is deemed security sensitive or a critical title. Transitioning into a position that involves working with minors. Transitioning into a new appointment under the covered employee groups where a background check has not been conducted within the last two years. 2. What types of background checks does the Chicago Campus run? The Chicago campus processes the following checks: Criminal Background Check (County/State), Sanctions Check (Government Exclusion Listings, Medicare/Medicaid, Sex Offender) Education Verification (Required for all Academic Professional, Hourly Faculty/Clinical/Research hires, Postdoc Research Fellow, and Postdoc Research Associates hires) Verification of Previous Employment (UI Health only). Driver s License Verification 3. Are Education Verifications required for all hires? Education Verifications are only required for the following hires: Academic Professionals Faculty/Clinical/Research Hourlies

2 Postdoc Fellows 1 Postdoc Research Associates 4. Can the hiring unit make an offer prior to the completion of the background check? Yes, an offer can be made. However, the offer will be contingent on successful completion of a criminal background check and other applicable pre-employment assessments and a Conditional Hire Acknowledgment form must be completed. In addition, all offer letter templates should contain the following verbiage, This offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check and other applicable pre-employment assessments. 5. Can candidates begin employment conditionally pending the results of an ordered or pending background check? Individuals may begin employment prior to the completion of a background check only in very limited instances, which must be approved prior by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs (for faculty employees) or the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources (all other employee groups). However, these circumstances should be kept to a minimum. Please contact your campus HR office for more information. Please note that the background check process will not begin until all completed Background Compliance forms have been received by the UIC HR Service Center (HRSC). 6. Will the campus honor the results from a non-university of Illinois background check? A background check from another institution or employer will generally not be accepted. Limited exceptions may apply. Please contact the UIC HR Service Center for more information. 7. Will the hiring unit see the results of the background check? The hiring unit will not see the applicant s report results. The HRSC will notify the hiring units of the overall background check results (i.e. whether there was a pass or fail on the report results or if additional review is required). 8. What happens if there is a background check finding? If there is a finding, the HRSC will receive the results and will advise the hiring unit on next steps. The HRSC will contact the employee to bring them in for a fingerprint verification. If the fingerprints validate the initial results from our vendor, then the HR Service Center will contact 1 Background Checks for Postdoc Fellows will be required only when the appointment is deemed security sensitive, working with minors, or working in UI Health.

3 the department to inform them of the findings. The consultation will focus on the applicant s offenses in correlation to the duties/job responsibilities. A recommendation to hire/or not to hire will be made. For serious criminal offenses, HR will consult with Legal Counsel and other applicable parties. In those instances, multiple factors will be taken into consideration to determine if the individual should be denied employment. 9. What information will be communicated to individuals who will undergo a background check? If there is no finding, the individual undergoing the background check will not be contacted by UIC Human Resources. However, and official employment clearance will be sent to the hiring department directly from HireTouch or from the HRSC background check processing staff. If there is a finding, the HR Service Center will contact the hiring unit to discuss notification to the candidate (please see question number 7). 10. What steps do units need to take if they are planning an event for minors that falls under the University of Illinois Protection of Minors policy? Since the UIC employees involved in the event may be subject to background checks, please contact Joanna Wolek in UIC HR Administration at (312) for more information, or units may review the campus human resources website below: Chicago Protection of Minors website 11. How is the Protection of Minors policy background check different from the existing University of Illinois Background Check policy? The Protection of Minors policy expands background check requirements under University of Illinois Background Check policy. Under the Protection of Minors policy, background checks are required for employees, volunteers, and contractors involved in programs or activities designed to include minors who 1) are directors or supervisors or such programs and activities; 2) those whose duties require close contact and/or alone time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role; 3) those who stay overnight with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role. 12. How can I request a background check waiver for my activity designed to include minors? In the event of extenuating and narrow circumstances, and with approval, a unit sponsoring a University program or activity designed to include minors may be permitted to adopt alternative measures and safeguards. Units must submit the request for an exception to the background

4 check requirement to Joanna Wolek in UIC HR Administration at (312) for more information. UICHR will review the circumstances and consult with the appropriate officials and submit the request. For more detailed information about how to submit a request, please refer to your campus Protection of Minors website (provided in Question 10 above). 13. Do our current employees have to go through a criminal background check, relative to the Protection of Minors policy? Current employees will not be subject to a background check unless they are transferring to a position that is deemed security sensitive, is a critical position, or falls under the Protection of Minors policy. For questions about which positions fall in these categories, please contact the HRSC. 14. Is a background check required for an existing employee (employed prior to the start of the Background Check policy) who is transferring positions due to a reassignment, transfer, or job change? If the position into which the employee is going into is security sensitive, critical, or working with minors then a background check is required. If the position is not security sensitive or critical, then a background check is not required if one has been run within the last 2 years. A check will only be required if the check was run more than 2 years from the date of offer. A Background will always be required when moving into a position within the U of I Hospital (UI Health). In general, background checks will not be required for job changes where changes are being made on the current position (i.e. FTE changes, salary changes, or changes from a visiting to permanent status). Hiring units should consult the HRSC with specific questions or scenarios on reassignments, transfers, or job changes. 15. Is a background check required for an existing employee (employed prior to the start of the Background Check policy) who is being reappointed in the same position/positon number? Generally speaking, checks will not be required for reappointments to jobs that are currently active. This includes reappointments for faculty/clinical/research hourlies, graduate assistants/hourlies, term by term faculty, and visiting academic professionals reappointed on the same position. However, if the unit believes the security sensitive nature of the position does warrant a criminal background check, please initiate the process prior to reappointing the individual. 16. Is a background check required for an employee receiving an additional appointment (i.e. Administrative appointment or Overcompensation)?

5 Unless the administrative appointment or overcompensation assignment was deemed security sensitive, a critical title, or involved working with minors, then a criminal background check will not be required. 17. Do I have to request an international criminal background check for international employees? International employees will undergo the same background checks and pre-employment assessments as other new hires. Contact HRSC for guidelines or for specific questions. 18. What date will be used to determine if a new hires falls under this policy (the job offer date or the start of employment)? Any offer that is extended verbally or in writing on or after November 1, 2015 will be subject to the newly Board approved University of Illinois Background Check policy. Candidates who received an offer (verbal or written) prior to November 1, 2015 with a start date on or after November 1, 2015 may be subject to a background check. For specific questions, please contact the HRSC for more information. 19. Will background checks be required for Graduate and Undergraduate Student employees? Criminal background checks will only be conducted for students (graduate/undergraduate) in the following circumstances: Hired into a position within the U of I Hospital (UI Health). Hired into a position that is deemed security sensitive or a critical title. Hired into a position that involves working with minors. Transitioning from a Campus position into a position within the U of I Hospital (UI Health). A Sanction check will still be required for all student (graduate/undergraduate) hires into any HIPPA covered entity or health care based unit per UICHR Policy 323: Sanction Checks at Point of Offer. 20. When processing checks outside of HireTouch, what forms need to be completed? When requesting background checks for jobs sourced outside of HireTouch, the following forms must be completed: Background Check Demographic Form (completed by Hiring authority) Disclosure Form (completed by Hiring authority) Authorization Form (completed by applicant) Conditional Hire Statement (completed by applicant)

6 Education Verification Form (for Academic Professional, Hourly Faculty/Clinical/Research, Postdoc Fellows, and Postdoc Research Associate hires only) Verification of Previous Employment Form (for UI Health hires only) 21. How will units know if a background check has cleared? Hiring authorities will receive an directly from HireTouch or from the HR Service Center Background Check processing staff validating whether or not the applicant s results have cleared. The will serve as the official confirmation of whether an applicant s results have cleared or failed all background check clearances and pre-employment assessments. 22. What documentation will units need to attach to an HR Front End Transaction? When processing the HR Front End Transaction, units will need to attach a copy of the official employment clearance that is sent from either HireTouch or from the HR Service Center Background Check processing staff. In addition to the employment clearance , a copy of the signed Conditional Hire form must be attached as well for all new hires and applicable add job transactions. The documents should be uploaded using the Background Check and Conditional Hire Statement document types respectively. 23. How early should units request their background checks? Background checks should be requested at least 3-4 weeks in advance to ensure that all checks and pre-employment assessments have cleared successfully. Please keep in mind that while most background checks are typically completed within 7 business days, sometimes a longer timeframe occurs due to various reasons outside of our control, so please plan accordingly. 24. How much will it cost to conduct a background check? Criminal Background Check - $50 Sanction Check - $25 Background/Sanction Check - $75 Education Verification - $25 Verification of Previous Employment - $25 Fingerprint Verification - $ Who will cover the costs of the background checks? Units will be responsible for covering the costs of all background checks and other preemployment assessments.