This page is dedicated to providing clarity and detailed explanation of what exact duties require a background check and at what level. Position classification and work location may also determine the background check level regardless of the duties.
LEVEL 2 DUTIES STANDARD DUTIES
LEVEL 2 CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS
All salaried (Faculty, A&P, USPS) positions require the completion of at least a Standard level background check regardless of duties held by the position. However, they along with any OPS, OPS Faculty, Courtesy, or Volunteer jobs/roles will require a Level 2 fingerprint-based background check if they hold any of the below duties.
4-OP-C-7-B11 Section II.B.1.a.2)
"A Level 2 Check is required for positions either when mandated under federal or state law or when designated by the University as positions of special trust or responsibility (reference Section 110.1127, Florida Statutes), with any of the following duties:"
- "Providing care, treatment, education, training, instruction, supervision, or recreation to minors or other vulnerable populations."
- Level 2 background checks are required for all employees who provide care, or are considered responsible for a vulnerable population regardless of the amount of contact with that population. Level 2 background checks are required of all volunteers who provide care, or are considered responsible for a vulnerable population unless one of the exceptions detailed below applies.
- "Vulnerable population" is defined as those likely to be vulnerable to coercion or undue influence, require special consideration and protection, and include, but are not limited to: Minors, Disabled Adults, and Vulnerable Adults.
- "Minor" is defined as "any person under the age of 18 years" per Section 847.0133, Florida Statutes.
- "Disabled Adult" is defined as "a person 18 years of age or older who suffers from a condition of physical or mental incapacitation due to a developmental disability, organic brain damage, or mental illness, or who has one or more physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living" per Section 825.101, Florida Statutes.
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"Vulnerable Adult" is defined as "a person 18 years of age or older whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due to a mental, emotional, sensory, long-term physical, or developmental disability or dysfunction, or brain damage, or the infirmities of aging" per Section 415.102, Florida Statutes.
- "Care" is defined as "the provision of care, treatment, education, training, instruction, supervision, or recreation to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities" per Section, 943.0542, Florida Statutes.
- If the care is provided entirely in a K-12 School System or Child Care Center, alternative screening options may be available depending on the circumstances. Contact the Background Check Team at HR-ERS@FSU.EDU when applicable.
- "Vulnerable population" is defined as those likely to be vulnerable to coercion or undue influence, require special consideration and protection, and include, but are not limited to: Minors, Disabled Adults, and Vulnerable Adults.
- Exceptions
- Students admitted to/enrolled in University courses at FSU are not considered "minors" for the sake of this policy.
- A Level 2 background check is not required for positions that provide services to the general public where occasional contact with a vulnerable population is possible, unless the individual is expected to provide "care" for or be responsible for a vulnerable population.
- A Level 2 background check will not be required on a volunteer if assisting with a program, activity, or group where:
- They are volunteering on an intermittent basis for less than 10 hours per month, and
- They will not be considered responsible for any vulnerable population, and
- Others designated as responsible for any vulnerable population who have been properly screened are always present and in direct line of sight, and
- There is no possibility of the volunteer being alone with a vulnerable population under any circumstances.
Even if a volunteer meets these criteria, the Office of Human Resources will run a National Sex Offender Database Search before the volunteer may begin service. If there are unfavorable results, the volunteer will be disqualified from participation.
- Summer Camps
- Background checks are completed through the Department of Children & Families (DCF) in the Clearinghouse system pursuant to Section 409.175, Florida Statutes. Please see the Summer Camp Background Checks Page for details.
- Level 2 background checks are required for all employees who provide care, or are considered responsible for a vulnerable population regardless of the amount of contact with that population. Level 2 background checks are required of all volunteers who provide care, or are considered responsible for a vulnerable population unless one of the exceptions detailed below applies.
- "Positions classified as Vice President level or above by job code/administrative code;"
- Job Codes include:
- i. 9239
- ii. 9256
- iii. 9001EX
- A list of all Administrative Codes can be found here.
- Job Codes include:
- "Positions with the FSU Police Department (see Section 943.13, Florida Statutes) and positions with the FSU Panama City Campus Police and Public Safety Department.;"
- Applicable to department numbers 026000 & 305050.
- Includes Panama City Campus Public Safety Department
- Required due to being a criminal justice agency.
- Applicable to department numbers 026000 & 305050.
- "Working with regulated materials regardless of quantity [e.g. Select Agents or Toxins (42CFR73.10), DHS Chemicals of Interest (6CFR27, App. A), DEA Controlled Substances (21CFR1301.90), NRC Radioactive Material - Quantities of Concern (NRC EA-07-305) or those in facilities covered by a DOT Security Plan (49CFR172.800)], or for other positions/roles or contracted individuals that may have unescorted access to these materials;"
- An Excel Master List of Regulated Materials can be found HERE.
- Level 2 Background Checks are required for all employees who work with or have unescorted access to regulated materials. There is no exception for volumes being used, even if the amount is negligible.
- Individuals "Working with regulated materials" includes, but is not limited to:
- Faculty, Staff, Graduate Assistants, Research Assistants, and technicians who assist in experiments with the regulated materials.
- All Graduate Assistants assigned to a professor who conducts research using regulated materials.
- Individuals with "Unescorted Access" to regulated materials includes, but is not limited to:
- Anyone with key card access to rooms containing regulated materials or anyone having temporary custody/handling of regulated materials without being escorted/supervised by someone who has completed a Level 2 background check.
- Includes: Custodial and maintenance workers with keys to rooms containing restricted chemicals, front desk clerks or others who might handle deliveries containing regulated materials, others who might not work with regulated materials but work in the same lab with access.
- Does NOT include everyone who merely works in a building that holds regulated materials.
- "As required by granting agencies for grants and contracts."
- If a grant or contract requires a certain level check, Human Resources will facilitate those requirements for the department.
STANDARD CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS (OPS, VOLUNTEER, AND COURTESY APPOINTMENTS)
OPS, Volunteer, and Courtesy appointments do not require a background check unless they perform one of the duties listed below.
4-OP-C-7-B11 Section II.B.1.b.1
"A Standard Level Check is required only if their duties involve any of the following:"
- "Performing fiscal duties to include budgeting, accounting, or having direct access to cash (except petty cash), checks, and/or credit/debit cards to include making and/or receiving payments."
- Includes:
- Cash handlers
- Authorized Signers
- Budget Managers
- Dean, Director, Department Head, or Chair (DDDHC)
- Designated operators/administrators of department funds
- Hyperion Budget and Salary Preparers
- Those with access to reconcile, prepare, or maintain accounts, budgets, etc.
- Those who receive, endorse, transact, transfer, deposit, or prepare checks or credit/debit cards.
- T-Card & P-Card holders
- Includes:
- "Possessing system access that provides the ability to process payments, print or distribute checks, process corrections, or generate, update, or approve financial transactions that will result in the disbursement of University funds."
- Includes:
- Those with OMNI Financial roles and access to edit department budget information
- Employees of the Payroll Department with applicable roles
- Authorized Signers
- Budget Managers
- Dean, Director, Department Head, or Chair (DDDHC)
- Designated operators/administrators of department funds
- Hyperion Budget and Salary Preparers
- Those with access to accounts, budgets, etc.
- Those who receive, endorse, transact, transfer, deposit, or prepare checks or credit/debit cards.
- T-Card & P-Card holders
- Includes:
- "Control over University-wide operational processes through functional roles or system security access (e.g., restricted level access to institutional systems)."
- This refers to those with restricted level access to control/manipulate university-wide systems, like:
- Payroll Services
- Office of Human Resources
- Key card access control
- ITS software management
- ITS security management
- Campus Solutions/Student Central Security Management
- This refers to those with restricted level access to control/manipulate university-wide systems, like:
- "Access to sensitive, secure, and/or confidential personal information on individuals, such as students, faculty, staff, or alumni (e.g., social security numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers, etc.)."
- This requirement speaks to personal information related to business, financial, or medical transactions and the following:
- Social security number
- Driver's license, identification card, passport number, military identification number, or similar on a government-issued document
- Financial account or credit/debit card numbers in combination with security/access codes or passwords needed to access the financial account
- Any information regarding medical history, mental/physical condition, medical treatment, and/or diagnoses
- Health insurance policy numbers
- It does not relate to grades, names, majors, email addresses, or information made publicly available by a federal, state, or local government entity; or information that is encrypted, secured, or modified by another method which removes personally identifiable information or renders the information unusable.
- This requirement speaks to personal information related to business, financial, or medical transactions and the following:
- "Unrestricted access to department property inventory."
- This section of policy relates particularly to OPS who have unescorted access to a department's surplus inventory.
- "Authorization for a grand master or building master key and/or equivalent level FSU Card for building access (Reference Policy 4-OP-B-2 on Issuance of Keys/Access Control for key level definitions)."
- Grand Master Key: provides total access to all buildings within a particular system on campus. Restricted to security and maintenance personnel only.
- Building Master Key: provides access to all spaces within an individual building.
