Overview

Background check are required for all "security/safety sensitive positions" at the University. Hiring managers are responsible for determining if the position meets one or more of the criteria for designating a position as security/safety sensitive. All required forms and background checks should be made and completed prior to the employee’s first day.

The offer of employment to the final candidate must be made contingent upon obtaining a satisfactory criminal conviction history background check.

This requirement does not apply to UW employee applicants who have already satisfied the background check requirement during their current period of University employment, unless otherwise required by law or University policy. 

Classified, Professional, and Temporary Staff

At the time a requisition is created in UWHIRES you will designate whether or not the appointee will do work that is security/safety sensitive (your Human Resources Administrator can help make this determination). You will then: 

1. Complete recruitment and candidate selection, and identify your preferred candidate.
2. Consult with your employment specialist to obtain approval for the salary offer you wish to make.
3. Make an offer of employment to your candidate contingent on obtaining a satisfactory criminal background check (use the HR-provided template or a document with similar content).
4. If your candidate accepts your offer of employment: 
   1. Make sure you have the candidate's full legal name, current email address, and date of birth (DOB) to provide to your employment specialist, and promptly contact your employment specialist to begin the background check process.

   2. Tell your candidate to look for an email message from A-Check America within one business day of the date you notify HR that your candidate has accepted your job offer. The subject line will read: "University of Washington - Criminal Background Check - Request for Information ACTION REQUIRED" and the email will have A-Check website login instructions.

      Remind your candidate to check the spam/trash/junk mail folder if they do not see a message from A-Check in their inbox.
   3. Tell your candidate that they need to act on the email immediately as their system access will time out three days after the email message has been sent.
   4. Before accessing the A-Check system, tell the applicant to turn off any pop-up blockers they may be using.
   5. Instruct the candidate to notify you if they do not receive the A-Check email as expected and if this occurs, notify your employment specialist immediately.
5. Your employment specialist will notify you of the background check results.

Student Employees, RAs & TAs, and Volunteers

Please work with the College of Engineering Human Resources Administrative Assistant on whether the appointee will do work that meets one or more of the security/safety sensitive criteria and follows its normal employment process to identify its preferred candidate. For work that is security/safety sensitive: 

1. Complete recruitment and candidate selection, and identify your preferred candidate.
2. Have your finalist candidate complete the Criminal Conviction & Civil Finding History Questionnaire.
3. If your candidate discloses any convictions that you believe may disqualify them from employment, discuss and evaluate the details with your employment specialist before you make a final employment eligibility determination.
4. If the candidate does not disclose any disqualifying convictions or findings, make an offer of employment to your candidate contingent on obtaining a satisfactory criminal background check. 
5. If your candidate accepts your offer of employment: 
   1. Make sure you have the candidate's full legal name, current email address, and date of birth (DOB) to provide to your employment specialist, and promptly contact your employment specialist to begin the background check process.

   2. Tell your candidate to look for an email message from A-Check America within one business day of the date you notify HR that your candidate has accepted your job offer. The subject line will read: "University of Washington - Criminal Background Check - Request for Information ACTION REQUIRED" and the email will have A-Check website login instructions.

      Remind your candidate to check the spam/trash/junk mail folder if they do not see a message from A-Check in their inbox.
   3. Tell your candidate that they need to act on the email immediately as their system access will time out three days after the email message has been sent.
   4. Before accessing the A-Check system, tell the applicant to turn off any pop-up blockers they may be using.
   5. Instruct the candidate to notify you if they do not receive the A-Check email as expected and if this occurs, contact your employment specialist immediately.
6. Your employment specialist will notify you of the background check results.

Costs & Charges

When the employment specialist runs the background check, the ProCard on file for the requesting department is charged. Documentation will include the date, charge, requisition number, and name of the candidate for whom the check was run.

Hiring officials are encouraged to consult with their supervisors or administrators about funding. Background checks must be conducted if a position meets the security/safety sensitive criteria, and the employing unit is responsible for the cost of the background check