Background Screening Criteria
Congratulations! Whether you’re just starting or supercharging your screening of potential horse employees, equestrian volunteers or horse adopters, there are just a couple things to consider. Like anything, you want to streamline the process from day one.
Protecting the privacy of your applicants is critical. For this reason, keeping all records confidential is essential.
Finally, every applicant must be measured against the same exclusion criteria. This is important, whether you’re screening two or 200 applicants.
Before screening your first applicant, create your own background check screening guidelines from the information below.
Disqualifiers
› ALL SEX OFFENSES regardless of the amount of time since the offense.
This includes child molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy, prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure, and others.
› ALL FELONY VIOLENCE regardless of the amount of time since the offense.
This includes murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary, etc.
› Also includes all felony offenses other than violence or sex within the past 10 years.
These crimes include animal cruelty, drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, child endangerment, and more.
› ALL MISDEMEANOR VIOLENCE offenses within the past 7 years.
This includes simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit and run, and more.
› ALL MISDEMEANOR DRUG and ALCOHOL offenses within the past 5 years or multiple offenses in the past 10 years.
Included are driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk and disorderly conduct, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, and more.
› Any misdemeanor offense within the past 5 years where the crimes are dangerous to children or related to the person’s function as an employee, volunteer, or horse adopter.
This includes animal cruelty, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor, theft, and other crimes.
Consequently, an animal cruelty conviction can be a citation.
How long are background checks valid?
Certainly, someone may have a clear background check today, but there is no guarantee their record will remain blemish free.
A defendant can move through the criminal system from an arrest, charges, to conviction within a year in the U.S. court system.
In fact, experts recommend annual re-screening for employees or volunteers that:
› are in contact with children, other vulnerable populations or
› have access to business or organizational assets.
Horse Authority does not have access to any background check or motor vehicle record check (MVR) results.