Volunteer Handbook Policy on Background Checks and Investigations

The American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula strives to maintain a safe and productive workplace with honest, trustworthy, qualified, reliable and non-violent volunteers and employees who do not present a risk of harm to their co-workers or others. The American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula may perform, or may request that third parties perform, reference and background checks at any time in the application or volunteer management process. All reference and background checks will be performed in accordance with applicable federal and/or state law.

Reference and background checks may include volunteer history and education verification, criminal history, social security number verification and sex offender registry review, where available, and licensure and motor vehicle record if appropriate to the position. In conducting reference and background checks, the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula may use consumer reporting agencies to gather and report information to the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula in the form of consumer or investigative consumer reports. All reference and background check results will be maintained in a confidential file by the Volunteer Services & Communications Manager.

Potential and current volunteers are expected to cooperate fully with reference and background checks. Cooperation includes, among other things, providing written consent to conduct a reference and background check and responding with truthful and complete information to inquiries made by the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula or third party investigators during the reference and background check process. Failure to cooperate in these respects, or any attempt to interfere with implementation of this policy, or the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula’s efforts to obtain relevant information, may result in discipline, up to and including termination of volunteer involvement.