Criminal History Background Check Policy

Bristol Public Library (“BPL”) is committed to ensuring that its mission and purposes are supported by qualified staff and that its facilities are safe. BPL is also committed to taking meaningful actions to protect its patrons, employees, finances, property, and other assets. This policy sets forth BPL’s procedures for conducting pie-employment background checks for all employees and adult volunteers.

Criminal history background checks are required for all prospective library staff and volunteers more than 18 years of age prior to performing any world or activity on behalf of the library. Employees hired before June 2020 will not be required to undergo a background check to retain employment. A background check may, however, be ordered at the Director’s discretion at any time during any employee’s employment with Bristol Public Library.

If an applicant or employee attempts to withhold information or falsify information pertaining to his or her background, previous convictions, etc., he or she will be disqualified from further employment consideration. A current employee who attempts to withhold information or falsify information pertaining to his or her background, previous convictions, etc., may be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination. If, after hire, an employee is found to have withheld or falsified information regarding his or her background, he or she may be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination.

Information discovered through the background check process will be used solely for the purpose of evaluating a candidate’s suitability for employment or for’ adult volunteer’ services and will not be used to discriminated against those individuals on the basis of race, color, religion/creed, sex/gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, genetic information, marital/familial status, disability, military, veteran status, or any other protected status or characteristic.

Background checks may include: checking or verifying any or all parts of previous employment, educational, criminal, sex and violent offender, license, and/or credit histories. The nature and scope of the background check will be determined by BPL and will be appropriate to the position applied for. The background checks in this policy may be conducted by BPL or a background check vendor.Criminal history checks will be a search for any felony or misdemeanor convictions or pleas which are acknowledgements of responsibility (e.g. plea of guilty, no contest, or nolo contendre) and which have not been annulled, expunged, or sealed during the seven years immediately preceding an application for employment at BPL. Criminal convictions or pleas will not automatically exclude an applicant front consideration for employment unless they are related to the position offered and the decision not to hire is consistent with business necessity.

Finalists for all paid and adult volunteer positions will be informed during the pre-employment process that any offer of employment is contingent upon completion of a background check with results acceptable to BPL under this policy. Prior to conducting the background check, a signed written consent will be obtained from the applicant. Refusal to authorize the background check will make the applicant ineligible for employment or adult volunteer’ services.

The information obtained through background checks is confidential and will be shared only with individuals with an essential business need to how. Records of the background check will be maintained in the Library Director’s office separately from the employee personnel files.

Received by Bristol Public Library Board of Trustees on March 28, 2022