How Thorough Is Your Reference Check?
Check if these six key pieces are on your forms.
Background Screening
Common Questions About Background Checks
A closer look at what is needed to effectively screen volunteers and employees who work with minors.
Q&A: How Long Should We Keep Consent Forms and Screening Records?
Churches must be ready to document its due diligence dating back decades ago.
Q&A: How Do We Handle an Application Answer that Changes?
A volunteer candidate no longer mentions a pornography addiction.
When Background Checks Lead to Discrimination
How churches should use screening services to avoid unfair exclusions in hiring.
Church Not Liable for Molestation
Court ruled church not liable for molestation of minor student by teacher on basis of negligent hiring
Q&A: How Long Should We Keep Volunteer Applications and Background Check Documents?
The simple answer is the longer, the better.
Q&A: Screening Host Families
Is our church required to perform background checks on families hosting our youth?
Q&A: Protecting Church Members
How can we keep our members from being taken advantage of financially?
Q&A: Sex Offender Wants to Serve in Children’s Ministry
Should we allow him to volunteer?
Q&A: Frequency of Background Checks
How often should background checks be done for existing staff and volunteers?
Q&A: Screening Volunteers for Visitation Ministries
Do we need to do background checks on adults who will be visiting shut-ins?
Q&A: Screening Underage Workers
How can we adequately screen adolescents before recruiting them to work in our children's ministries?
Q&A: Reliable Screening Services
How do you know if you're using a "good" background screening service?
Q&A: Background Checks for Paid Staff vs. Volunteers
What level of screening is enough?
Q&A: Background Checks for Small Churches
The importance of screening workers regardless of church size or location.
Q&A: Church Liable for Not Screening
Is a church leader liable for not screening someone they know?
Would a Criminal Background Check Have Protected Katie?
A mother alleged that a Sunday School teacher (“John”) sexually molested her minor daughter, Katie,
Conducting Background Checks
An employer's failure to conduct criminal records checks on its employees might be viewed by a jury as evidence of negligent hiring.
Negligent Hiring Liabilities
A federal court in Kansas ruled that a victim of child abuse made a viable claim against a charity that hired the molester as a youth worker despite knowledge of a history of sexual misconduct.