Does Your Insurance Require Background Screening?

It would be nice to believe we live in Mayberry, where anyone suspicious is immediately locked up in the city jail, faithfully guarded by the ever-skeptical Barney Fife. Yes…that would be nice. However, the world we live in today is a scary place, and let’s face it – whether your non-profit insurance or church insurance “requires” all volunteers and/or workers to have a background screening or not, it’s always a good idea. Not convinced? Read on…

When it comes to your church or organization hiring a new employee or bringing on volunteers, not only are you looking for the best candidate possible, you’re also looking for someone who will properly represent your best interests. Not only does background screening convey the idea that you are serious about protecting your church or organization, but it also helps to defend your congregation against any accusations of negligence.

Douglas Kubacki, a police Sergeant out of Milwakee has dealt with a plethora of situations arising from the lack of a background screening.

“The congregation should develop a set of guidelines for volunteer screening that list the types of background checks performed for each position,” he commented. “For example, it is very important

to run a personal credit check on someone who will be handling the congregation’s finances. If a

position requires driving, request a motor vehicle record, or for a position that has exclusive

contact with children, consult the sex offender and child abuse registry. It also is wise to conduct

screenings, such as motor vehicle and credit checks on a regular basis.”

According to an article posted online at The Birmingham (AL) News, an agency that conducted 5,000 background checks for 450 churches found serious felonies in 80 cases and more than 600 people – almost 1 in 8 – that had some criminal history that may disqualify them from working at a church. (These statistics do not relate to any geographical or denominational breakdowns whatsoever.)

If your organization or church does not have a background screening process in place, now is the time to instigate one. Follow these steps to get started:

Locate a background screening company who will work side-by-side with you throughout the process. Some examples are:

www.christianbackgroundchecks.com/strongtowerinsurance.html

Note: This blog provided to you by Strong Tower Insurance, Inc. Strong Tower Insurance is pleased to partner with All Pro Pastors in support of pastors and their congregations by offering a variety of insurance solutions to protect the mission of the church!