Background Checks

 

Purpose

Linn-Benton Community College is committed to maintaining a safe and secure workplace, ensuring the integrity of our operations, and protecting the well-being of our employees, students, and community.

 

Statement

To support these efforts, Linn-Benton Community College requires criminal background checks for the following:

• All newly hired full-time and part-time employees, including student and temporary employees;
• All employees rehired after a break in service of more than 12 months;
• All employees moving into a new position if a background check has not been completed in the preceding 12-month period; and
• Volunteers assigned to positions involving the handling of money, access to confidential and/or sensitive information, safety-sensitive assignments, or working without ongoing direct supervision.

Final candidates are required to complete a criminal background check after a contingent offer of employment. Candidates must sign a release form or online certification and release as part of the online application process, authorizing the College to conduct a background check.

The background check process may include, but is not limited to the following:

• Criminal records checks
• Sex offender registry checks
• Employment verification
• Professional license or education/credentials verifications
• Credit reports (for roles involving financial responsibility)
• Motor vehicle history checks record (for role involving driving)
• Civil records checks & public record checks

LBCC is committed to fair hiring practices. We will consider the results of background checks in the context of the position applied for. Each case will be reviewed individually based on relevant factors.

The College will use the information from the criminal background report in conjunction with the following factors to determine an applicant’s eligibility for employment or assignment:

• The passage of time since the commission of the crime(s);
• Nature of crime(s);
• Relationship between the job to be performed and the crime(s) committed;
• Number of convictions; and
• Rehabilitation efforts.

And their contact with:

• Direct, unsupervised contact with children (under age 18) or developmentally disabled persons that provide the employee opportunity and probability for personal communication or touch;
• Working with student or employee mental health, medical information, or ADA accommodations;
• Data-sensitive information means employees’ or students’ social security numbers, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, medical information, personal financial information, or criminal background information; and/or
• Safety-sensitive means a hazardous or dangerous position, such as a position requiring the operation of equipment or machinery, handling hazardous materials.

Approval of candidates with criminal records shall be made by the Executive Director of Human Resources in consultation with the College President.

Generally, candidates may not begin work or be unconditionally hired before the completion and approval of the criminal background check. The opportunity to become employed, assigned, or transfer into a qualified position will terminate immediately for all prospective employees considered ineligible according to the criteria set forth above.

Any false statement made by a candidate during the interview process, or at any other time during the application process, or refusal to submit or consent to a criminal background check will disqualify the candidate from any employment consideration. In such cases, candidates are eligible to reapply and be reconsidered after one year.

Similarly, current employees must report any criminal convictions (other than minor traffic infractions) to Human Resources as soon as possible. The criminal convictions will be reviewed and decisions for continued employment will be made based on the criteria outlined above. Employees who fail to notify the College of criminal convictions may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

The decision of the Executive Director of Human Resources to disqualify a prospective or current employee from employment or assignment may be appealed to the President.

 

 

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