CHURCH BOARD GUIDE TO A CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY


References • Personal • Professional (if available the best references are from other churches or charities where the applicant has worked with minors)


• Completion of a background check authorization form • Signed liability release


Conduct reference checks When the written application is complete the church should check all references—individuals, former employers, and organizations listed in the application. Conducting these checks is a vital part of the screen- ing process. The reference checks do not need to be limited to those listed in the application. It is, however, important for the applicant to sign a liability release before the reference checks are conducted. The liability release provides authorization for the church to conduct refer- ence checks, and releases the church, and the reference, from liability regarding the references given (with the exception of references that are knowingly false and made with legal malice). Many individuals and businesses are reluctant to provide detailed


information for a reference check, and some will not even respond to such a request. Others may provide a neutral reference that only lists the dates of employment and job title. The church should be able to demonstrate that it made a good faith effort in conducting the reference check. Therefore, to meet the standard of reasonable care, churches should document their efforts, whether or not a response is received. Start by sending each listed reference and former employer a letter,


and a reference form to complete by a specific date. If written requests are ignored, follow-up with a telephone call. When collecting a refer- ence over the phone, use a standardized form to record the information, and sign and date the form. Document all efforts made in collecting the references, and once completed, keep all forms and notes with the employment application. What should you do if a listed reference or former employer refuses


to respond? Some organizations refuse to hire a prospective employee if the references they list refuse to respond. The failure to respond raises a red flag that requires further exploration. A simple explanation may


16


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74