Background Checks for Volunteers:
What are the Rules?

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse will post the latest in its background check fact sheet series in the near future. If you have a question about this topic or suggestions about what should be covered, please feel free to contact us through our inquiry form available at www.privacyrights.org/inquiryform.htm.

Your questions, suggestions and views on this topic will help us make this fact sheet a valuable resource for volunteers and organizations. We would like to hear from volunteers who want to share an experience (good or bad). We would also welcome comments from any organization that feels it has a model procedure for checking volunteers.

We identified the following issues as important to volunteers, to be modified based upon your interest and comments.

• What kinds of volunteer positions require a background check?
• What is included in the volunteer's background check?
• Is the information requested relevant to the volunteer position?
• Who pays for the volunteer's background check?
• Is the volunteer's background check (1) required by law? (2) required by organization policy?
• Is a volunteer's permission required before performing a background check?
• Does a prospective volunteer have the right to dispute inaccuracies in a background check and to receive a copy of their report?
• How is the volunteer's privacy protected, e.g. who sees the volunteer's application?
• What, if any, steps are taken to safeguard the volunteer's background check report?

Copyright © 2003-2006. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse/UCAN. This copyrighted document may be copied and distributed for nonprofit, educational purposes only. For distribution of this fact sheet, see our copyright and reprint guidelines. The text of this document may not be altered without express authorization of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. This fact sheet should be used as an information source and not as legal advice. PRC fact sheets contain information about federal laws as well as some California-specific information. Laws in other states may vary. Overall, our fact sheets are applicable to consumers nationwide.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 3100 - 5th Ave., Suite B, San Diego, CA 92103. Web: www.privacyrights.org