Employment Background Checks

University of South Dakota

Policy Number:

4.005

Originating Office:

Human Resources

Responsible Executive:

Vice President of Human Resources

Date Issued:

07/30/2010

Date Last Revised:

02/24/2020

Employment Background Checks

Policy Contents

I. Reason for this Policy ......................................................................................................1

II. Statement of Policy ........................................................................................................1

III. Definitions......................................................................................................................2

IV. Procedures .....................................................................................................................3

V. Related Documents, Forms and Tools ..............................................................................4

I. REASON FOR THIS POLICY

It is the policy of the University and the SD Board of Regents, to promote a safe and secure

environment for its faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and visitors. Therefore, the system will

take reasonable steps to ensure hiring decisions effectively contribute to lessening unnecessary

risk. The University has established this background check policy and minimum standards to

accomplish this purpose.

II. STATEMENT OF POLICY

All offers of employment for new employees in Career Service, Non-Faculty Exempt, Faculty,

Adjunct and Graduate Assistant positions will be contingent on the favorable results of a

background check conducted by the Board of Regent’s recommended vendor. Background

checks from sources other than the BOR approved vendor (such as SD Department of Criminal

Investigations check or SD Sex Offender Registry) may be considered sufficient as determined by

USD Human Resources.

Special attention is given to employees of the USD Childcare Center, USD Head Start, and

summer camp staff, including all student employees and volunteers with unsupervised direct

access to minors.

Employment Background Checks

University of South Dakota

Failure to submit to a required background check will result in withdrawal of the offer of

employment. Failure to fully and accurately disclose requested information to conduct a

background check will result in withdrawal of the offer of employment.

Assigned Human Resources staff will review the results of the background checks. The results

will only be released by Human Resources staff to hiring managers or other administrators on a

need to know basis.

Electronic records of the background checks will be maintained by Human Resources.

III. DEFINITIONS

In accordance with BOR Policy 4:47:

1) "Credit history check" means checking the credit history of the selected applicant or

employee. (Federal laws prohibit discrimination against an applicant or employee as a result of

bankruptcy.)

2) "Criminal history check" means verifying that the selected applicant or employee does not

have any undisclosed criminal history in every jurisdiction where the applicant or employee

currently resides, has resided, or has been employed.

3) "Educational verification" means ensuring that the selected applicant or employee possesses

the educational credentials beyond high school listed on the application, resume, or cover letter

or otherwise cited by the candidate that qualify the individual for the position sought.

4) "Employment verification" means ensuring that the selected applicant or employee actually

worked in the positions listed on the application, resume, or cover letter or otherwise cited by

the candidate that qualify the individual for the position sought, as well as all employment

during a period of at least seven (7) years immediately preceding application. This verification

should include dates of employment and reasons for leaving each position.

5) "License verification" means ensuring that the selected applicant or employee possesses all

the licenses listed on the application, resume, or cover letter or otherwise cited by the

candidate that qualify the individual for the position sought and verification of any license

required for the position, including verification of the disposition of such licenses. This includes

any motor vehicle drivers licenses required for the associated position.

6) "Limited criminal history check" means verifying that the selected applicant or employee does

not have any undisclosed criminal history in the jurisdiction where the applicant or employee

currently resides or has been previously employed, or where the applicant or employee last

resided, if the applicant or employee only recently moved to a location near the institution or

location working.

Employment Background Checks

University of South Dakota

7) "Limited sex and violent offender registry check" means verifying that the selected applicant

or employee does not have undisclosed convictions of certain sex and violent crimes in the

jurisdiction where the applicant or employee currently resides, or where the applicant or

employee last Background Checks 4:47 Page 3 of 5 resided, if the applicant or employee only

recently moved to a location near the institution or location working.

8) "Sex and violent offender registry check" means verifying that the selected applicant or

employee does not have undisclosed convictions of certain sex and violent crimes in every

jurisdiction where the applicant or employee currently or has resided.

IV. PROCEDURES

1. All written and verbal offers of employment for the indicated employee types will be

made contingent on the favorable result of a background check.

2. Based on the duties of the Career Service or Non-Faculty Exempt position, the hiring

manager, in consultation with Human Resources staff, will determine the appropriate

criteria to be checked. A standard, comprehensive background check will uniformly be

used for all faculty and adjunct hires.

3. Human Resources staff will initiate the background check process upon acceptance of

the conditional offer by the new employee.

a. As a condition of the offer of employment, the new employee must authorize

the background check. The authorization may be done on paper, or

electronically. New employees must provide all the information requested to

complete a comprehensive background check.

b. The new employee or volunteer, with the exception of those whose duties have

unsupervised, direct access to minors, may begin work once they have initiated

the background check. Those employees whose duties include unsupervisored,

direct access to minors will be required to have the background check

completed prior to starting their duties.

4. The results of the background check will be reviewed by appropriate Human Resources

staff.

a. Results of the background check are considered sensitive and confidential.

Results will only be released by Human Resources to the Hiring Manager if the

results raise questions regarding the candidates ability to perform the essential

functions of the position.

b. If the background check results are deemed favorable by the appropriate

Human Resources staff, no further action is required.

c. If Human Resources staff have concerns about the results in relation to the

position requirements, the results may be communicated to the hiring manager.

The hiring manager and Human Resources staff will then determine if the offer

of employment should be modified or withdrawn. The appropriate Vice

Employment Background Checks

University of South Dakota

President, or the President, will be notified of potential issues and may be called

upon for advice or to make a final determination of the employment decision.

5. Costs for required background checks for employees or volunteers for USD sponsored

events will be paid by the University of South Dakota out of designated funds. External

organizations hosting events on campus which involve access to minors will be

responsible for the cost of required background checks for their staff or volunteers.

V. RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

Background Checks, South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 4:47

https://www.sdbor.edu/policy/documents/4-47.pdf

Notifications and authorizations for background checks will be made through emails generated

by the recruitment website/software of the Board of Regents. Results will be stored in the same

system. The Human Resources office has paper authorizations available if email authorization is

not feasible.