BLOG

The Governor signed an Act to help school employees keep their background checks up-to-date during the pandemic.

An Act Regarding Background Checks

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 18 on May 8, 2020 to help accommodate people who work in and for schools. Those employees are required to have new background screenings every 60 months to retain their positions. However, due to the pandemic, some people may have difficulty meeting their deadline. Act 18 extended the timeframe people have to renew their employment background checks.

The Secretary of the Department of Human Services (DHS) encourages individuals to start their screening process as soon as they can. She said: “This initial extension helped ensure that people in professions that require clearances could continue to work during the stay-at-home period when many of the fingerprinting sites were closed. Completing fingerprinting and clearance requirements ensures that people remain in compliance with clearances and do not get into a difficult situation if circumstances change.”

Details About Act 18

To help people understand Act 18, the Department of Education (DOE) created an FAQ. It provided useful details such as:
• Current employees of “public, private, and nonpublic schools, as well as independent contractors and their employees who work with schools” must continue to renew their FBI fingerprint background checks.
• People who live in an area with a Stay At Home Order are still required to meet this obligation.
• Workers who are scheduled to complete new background checks around the middle of 2020 have been granted additional time to complete the process.
• The extension is for 60 days and is valid until December 31, 2020.
• New hires are not eligible for the extension.
• Covered employers must give their staff this additional time.

See the FAQ.

Background Checks During The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced employers to change numerous things about the way they operate. This can include how they handle hiring, interviewing and onboarding. Several laws were passed to help businesses continue with normal operations during this time.

Background checks remain an essential component of the employment process. Running them shows that an employer is demonstrating due diligence when bringing on staff, contractors and volunteers. Some states and industries have specific laws regarding when and how screenings are conducted, but every organization is responsible for reviewing background checks that help them create safe workplaces, avoid negligent hiring claims and make informed decisions.

Backgrounds Online Is Here For You

As you operate during the pandemic and beyond, we are here to help. Our experienced team keeps up with federal, state and local laws that affect you. We are highly trained at building comprehensive screening packages that are perfectly tailored for any position.

If you need background checks, have questions or would like assistance, please contact us. We’re available for you Monday through Friday from 5am to 6pm PT.