Confidential Background Screenings
>>>View the Confidential Background Screening Guidelines
Process for Confidential Background Screenings
The District will use its approved third-party administrator (“TPA”) to perform a criminal background screening. The following searches will be completed by the TPA:
- Address History Trace - Reveals various names and DOBs associated with an individual SSN. This trace is used to determine where the background searches should be conducted.
- County Court Search (Multi-County) - A criminal records search in each unique jurisdiction discovered through the TPA’s address history trace. Jurisdictions are limited to the applicant’s past seven (7) year residential history. Records include both felony and misdemeanor offenses and traffic citations when available.
- Criminal Record Database - A multi-county/state database search containing over 450 million criminal records regularly collected from over 2,600 court sources. Records include full disposition when available and are verified at the court of record prior to reporting.
- Sex Offender Registry Search - A comprehensive database search of registered sex offenders regularly aggregated from all 50 states plus Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Guam and Native American Tribal Registries.
- Security Watch List - A database search of information obtained from over 30 global agencies including Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC), Interpol, US Department of Justice, US Department of Commerce, US Secret Service, DEA, FBI, FTA, OIG, and GSA.
Once the results of the background screening are received, the results will be reviewed in a timely manner.
Denials or suspensions of volunteers will be notified.
The District will make appropriate notifications to the volunteer applicants as needed and/or required.
All applicant approvals and disqualifications are noted internally.
Guidelines for Reviewing Results of the Confidential Background Screening
Convictions and/or Pending Charges
The District will conduct an individual analysis of each conviction and/or pending charge to determine whether a substantial relationship exists between the pending charge or criminal conviction and the functions of the volunteer position.
If an applicant has a pending charge and/or been found guilty of one or more of the offenses set out below, the individual responsible for reviewing the results shall refer the results to the Director who has oversight of the position for further review. For purposes of this policy, guilty means that a person was found guilty following a trial, entered a guilty plea, or entered a no contest plea accompanied by a court finding of guilty, regardless of whether there was an adjudication of guilt (conviction) or a withholding of guilt.
Any applicant determined eligible and subsequently arrested for, charged with, and/or found guilty of an offense shall immediately (the next business day or as soon as otherwise practicable) notify the District of such arrest, charge, and/or conviction. Failure to timely notify the District may result in the applicant being permanently disqualified.
OFFENSES
- All Sex Offenses - Regardless of the amount of time since offense. Examples include: child molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy, prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure, etc.
FELONIES
- All Felony Violence - Regardless of the amount of time since offense. Examples include: murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary, etc.
- All Felony offenses other than violence or sex within the past 10 years. Examples include: drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, etc.
MISDEMEANORS
- All misdemeanor violence offenses within the past 7 years. Examples include: simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit & run, etc.
- All misdemeanor drug & alcohol offenses within the past 5 years or multiple offenses in the past 10 years. Examples include: driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk and disorderly, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, etc.
- Any other misdemeanor within the past 5 years that would be considered a potential danger to children or is directly related to the functions of that volunteer. Examples include: contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor, theft - if person is handling monies, etc.
The District reserves the right to require additional background checks when necessary, such as when an individual moves from one employee or volunteer group to another or when changing positions within the District. Background screenings will be conducted on all volunteers and seasonal recreation staff, on an annual basis, as these positions are considered yearly/seasonal positions.
The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, gender, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, or any other protected category as required by applicable law in administration of its educational policies, hiring and employment practices, admission policies, scholarship and grant programs, or athletic and other school administered programs.