ARRL Update on Red Cross Background Investigations
NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 16, 2007 -- In March, the ARRL posted its position statement regarding the American Red Cross background check policy for volunteers. This updates information the League has obtained about that program.
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, met March 20 at American Red Cross offices in Washington, DC, with two attorneys from the Red Cross General Counsel's office and two management-level staff members from Red Cross Disaster Services.
ARRL asked the Red Cross staff if ARRL ARES volunteers would be subject to the American Red Cross background check if they are providing communications for more than seven days. The position of the Red Cross is that ARES volunteers would not be permitted to provide communications at a disaster site for more than seven days without submitting to the Red Cross background check procedure.
Discussion was then held regarding the Red Cross announcement that credit checks and mode-of-living checks would not be conducted. ARRL's stated concern was that the ARC background investigation consent form states that a consumer report and/or an investigative consumer report -- which includes certain credit checks and includes mode of living checks -- will be obtained on the volunteer signing the form.
The ARRL team asked if the Red Cross would be willing to modify the consent form so that it limits the authority granted by the person signing the form to criminal background checks only. The Red Cross representatives did not indicate a willingness to modify the consent form.
The ARRL team also suggested alternatives to the Red Cross investigation firm, MyBackgroundCheck.com. ARRL was given an indication that the Red Cross is also unwilling to accept background checks conducted by other entities, because the Red Cross would be required to compare the methodologies of its selected entity with those of the alternative background-check provider.
ARRL reiterates its recommendation that members carefully review any consent document permitting a private organization to conduct a background investigation on that person. The current Red Cross background check consent form does include permission, without further consent from the volunteer, to conduct a consumer report and/or an investigative consumer report. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal statutes define investigative consumer reports as including a mode-of-living check as well as certain credit checks.
ARRL will not suggest what organizations or agencies should or should not be supported by volunteer Amateur Radio communications. ARRL does wish to facilitate the provision of volunteer services, however.
Page last modified: 10:45 AM, 16 Apr 2007 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2007, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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