Anyone offered a job at the university must now undergo a background investigation before being hired, and current employees who are transferred, reassigned, reclassified or promoted to certain positions also may be subject to background checks.
A policy requiring the investigations went into effect Jan. 1 after being approved by the President’s Cabinet in December. Last summer the board of regents ordered UGA, and all schools in the University System of Georgia, to implement background checks.
Under the policy, background investigations are required for anyone being hired, or rehired, for a regular full-time, part-time or temporary (non-student worker) position. The policy does not apply to most student workers.
Background checks are also mandatory for current employees who are moving to a “position of trust” because of transfer, reassignment, reclassification or promotion. A position of trust is one in which the employee would interact with minor children, be responsible for financial transactions or have after-hours access to UGA facilities.
The investigations will include, at a minimum, a state and federal criminal history check covering at least seven years, a nationwide sex offender search and a social security number check. In addition, people being considered for executive, administrative, professional, contract and academic positions will have their educational and academic credentials examined, and people who would have access to financial resources such as cash, checks and purchasing cards will undergo a credit check.
“Chancellor (Erroll) Davis felt that a consistent systemwide policy on background investigations would better mitigate risk exposure,” said Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration. “This policy and the procedures it implements will allow UGA to meet this objective and still maintain an effective hiring process.”
Most part-time student workers won’t be subject to background investigations unless they might have contact with young children, such as students who work at the McPhaul Child and Family Development Center or in 4-H programs, Burgess said.
UGA will pay for the investigations, which will be conducted by a private firm. Investigations for new and re-hired employees will be conducted after an offer of employment is made and prior to employment. Offers for positions of trust will be conditional pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Human Resources office will coordinate and oversee investigations under the direction of Tom Gausvik, associate vice president for human resources. Individual departments, except for the university police department, are not authorized to conduct the checks.
Only Gausvik or his designee will have access to results of investigations, which will be placed on a secure Web site. If an investigation raises questions about the suitability of a candidate, Gausvik will be able to consult with a Background Investigation Committee that includes the executive director of legal affairs, the university police chief and the director of faculty affairs.
All job postings and position announcements subject to background investigations must include a notice that an investigation will be conducted. A candidate’s failure to disclose a prior criminal conviction or credit violation will be grounds for disqualification, although a felony conviction or previous credit problem, in and of themselves, will not necessarily make a candidate ineligible. All decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Details about the background investigation policy can be found online (www.hr.uga.edu/recruitment/employment/emp_compliance.html). Information is also available by calling Human Resources at (706) 542-2621. |
