What is the purpose of Criminal History Background Checks?
- Florida State University performs criminal history background checks to promote a safe and secure environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Who needs a Criminal History Background Check?
- All final candidates for Faculty, Executive Service (AEX), Administrative & Professional (A&P), & University Support Personnel System (USPS) positions need at least a Standard Criminal History Background Check.
- Final Candidates for OPS and Federal Work Study (FWS) appointments; Volunteers; and some contractors may need a Standard Criminal History Background Check depending on their assigned duties.
- Final candidates for all Faculty, AEX, A&P, USPS, OPS positions, as well as volunteers, Federal Work Study, and contractors, may need a Level 2 Criminal History Background Check with fingerprinting, depending on the duties of their position.
- Current employees may need a Criminal History Background Check when being considered for a new position, role, or when receiving a change in duties.
When must the Criminal History Background Check be completed?
- Before the start of employment or volunteer service for all appointments (AEX, Faculty, A&P, USPS, OPS, Graduate Assistants, Courtesy, and Volunteers).
- Background Checks can take up to 48 hours or potentially several weeks depending on the responsiveness of the candidate and any required reviews of the background check report (see Background Check Results Page).
What is needed to complete the Criminal History Background Check?
- A Criminal History Background Check Questionnaire is required for all appointments and internal movement actions to determine if a background check is required and what level check is needed. This is completed within Job Openings or Express Job Offers, or within the Background Check Forms Portal personnel actions without an OMNI-HR Job Offer.
- If it is determined that a Background Check is required upon review of the Questionnaire, the candidate will be prompted directly for required information within the Onboarding process and initiation of the background check will be conducted by HR within this process.
- If a Background Check is required but not associated with a Job Offer hiring action, a Criminal History Background Check Request Form must be submitted via the Background Check Forms Portal to manually initiate the background check.
Where do I complete the Background Check Questionnaire and Request Form?
- If the action is made via OMNI-HR Job Offer, both forms will be integrated in the OMNI processes to complete the hire.
- If the action is not made via OMNI-HR Job Offer (e.g., FWS hires, volunteers, internal movement via Epaf) the Criminal History Background Check Forms Portal must be used to complete the forms listed above.
What is the Criminal History Background Check Process?
What is included in a Criminal History Background Check?
There are two types of background checks run by HR.
- Standard Criminal History Background Checks include:
- County Criminal History search
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) statewide search
- National Criminal Database search
- Federal Criminal search
- National Sex Offender search
- Level 2 Criminal History Background Checks (with fingerprinting) includes the Standard Background Check Package detailed above and the following:
- FBI nationwide fingerprint-based check
- Notification of warrants or domestic violence injunctions
- There are three types of Level 2 background checks:
- Candidates for employment
- Volunteers (non-summer camp) - unpaid volunteers.
- Summer Camp Candidates & Volunteers being considered for a role in a University-sponsored summer camp. (See the Summer Camp Background Check page for more information.)
