Overview of University of Arizona Pre-Employment Screening and Background Checking Procedures

Background

In March 2005, pre-employment screening and criminal background checking policies were implemented to create a safe and secure workplace and to ensure that University of Arizona employees are qualified to perform the positions for which they are hired. (Reference: ABOR Policy 6-709 and Classified Staff Policy 103.1)

Standard Pre-Employment Screening

University departments are responsible for ensuring that a Standard Pre-Employment Screening is conducted on all temporary and regular appointed and classified new hires. This includes verification of academic credentials, relevant licenses or certifications, work history and job performance.

Hiring departments have the option of conducting Standard Pre-
Employment Screenings in-house or using Sterling Testing Systems.

Departments are advised to consider the following when deciding whether or not to conduct pre-employment screening in-house.

Costs: The costs of using a vendor for Standard Pre-Employment Screening, which includes verification of education credentials, licenses or certification and work history range from $9.00 to $52.00. The costs associated with conducting in-house screening can be measured by the time and resources expended to verify the information provided by the candidate.

Time Constraints: The average turnaround time for receiving report information from the vendor is 3 to 4 days. The amount of time involved with obtaining information in-house can vary depending on the availability and cooperation of the persons or agencies that are contacted for reference information.

Reference Checking: As part of the work history check, the vendor will ask work references a set of prescribed questions to obtain general information about the candidate's work performance.

Whether or not the vendor is utilized, departments are strongly encouraged to conduct reference checks in-house since relevant job performance questions are not easily standardized and hiring authorities are in the best position to evaluate the reference information collected.

Notification Requirements: When using an outside vendor, the hiring department is required, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), to notify the applicant when adverse action (such as not hiring a candidate) is being considered and to notify the candidate again when the adverse action is actually taken. There are no legal notification requirements if Standard Pre-Employment Screening is conducted in-house by the hiring department.

Specific procedures for conducting Standard Pre-Employment Screening are available online.


Supplemental Pre-Employment Screening (Criminal Background Checks, Drug Testing and Department of Motor Vehicle Verification)

Criminal Background Checks

Positions designated as "security sensitive" require a criminal background check and verification of the final candidate's identity. This information is required for individuals not currently employed by the University of Arizona as well as those currently employed by the University who are moving or transferring into a security sensitive position.

"Security Sensitive" positions include:

  • senior level administrators (president, provost, vice provost, deans, vice presidents, assistant and associate vice provosts, vice presidents and deans, department heads and department directors, including interim and acting);
  • business managers and other senior level finance and business-related financial administrative positions;
  • positions with unsupervised contact with minors not enrolled at The University of Arizona;
  • positions with direct access to select biological/biochemical agents, as defined by the USA Patriot Act of 2001;
  • positions with unrestricted access to residence hall private rooms;
  • finalists who indicate a prior felony conviction on their application;
  • employees of the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD). Pre-employment screening for these individuals shall be conducted in accordance with UAPD hiring protocols; and,
  • other positions designated by a dean or vice president (in consult with the AVP for Human Resources) as "security sensitive".

Job offers shall only be extended to final candidates of security sensitive positions contingent upon a satisfactory outcome of the required background check. Human Resources will coordinate the collection and review of criminal background information.

Criminal background checks will include convictions within all states (and, if necessary, countries) in which the prospective candidate has lived and worked for the last seven years and will include a review of outstanding felony warrants.

Procedures for conducting criminal background checks are available at http://www.hr.arizona.edu/01_rec/recrhirindex.php

Evaluating Criminal background Information

Evidence of criminal convictions or other adverse information will not automatically disqualify candidates from consideration. When considering whether to employ an individual with a criminal history, the hiring authority, in partnership with Human Resources, will assess the relevance of a criminal conviction. Considerations include job duties, the date of the most recent offense, the nature of the offense and the accuracy of the information provided on the employment application.

Department of Motor Vehicle Verifications

A report must be obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles when an occupation or position requires that an employee regularly operate a motor vehicle as part of his or her job duties. The hiring authority shall submit the request to HR. Risk Management and Safety will verify the appropriate license, review the motor vehicle record, and contact the hiring department directly.

Drug Testing

A limited number of university positions (i.e. law enforcement and shuttle/van driver) require a drug test. Unless authorized by Risk Management and Safety or Human Resources, hiring authorities may not conduct drug testing on new or current employees.

Procedures for conducting motor vehicle and drug testing checks are available at http://risk.arizona.edu



Compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates the activities of credit reporting bureaus. The law governs the use of third party credit reporting agencies to investigate the background of applicants for employment and imposes notice requirements for employers as well as monetary penalties for failure to comply with its provisions.

Under the FCRA, employers are required to take certain actions whenever they obtain a consumer report on a job applicant or employee. All background screening reports are classified as consumer reports and requirements include notification, certification and action before and after an adverse event.

In the event that a consumer report uncovers information that may disqualify an applicant from employment consideration, the University shall notify the applicant of the information and provide a minimum of five days for the applicant to refute, explain or correct the information.

Note: The FCRA law only applies to background screenings performed by an outside company. It does not apply in situations where the employer conducts in-house Standard Pre-Employment Screenings.

Hiring departments are advised to contact their Human Resources Employment Advisor for assistance when adverse action will be taken against a candidate or UA employee.
March 9, 2005