[SMCARA] ARRL Update on Red Cross Background Investigations

[J D Delancy]

Atlantic Division Bulletin
April 16, 2007
Bulletin Number 2007-04

NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 16, 2007 -- In March, the ARRL posted its position
statement regarding the American Red Cross background check policy for
volunteers. This updates information the League has obtained about that
program. 
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and Chief Technology Officer
Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, met March 20 at American Red Cross offices in
Washington, DC, with two attorneys from the Red Cross General Counsel's
office and two management-level staff members from Red Cross Disaster
Services. 

ARRL asked the Red Cross staff if ARRL ARES volunteers would be subject
to the American Red Cross background check if they are providing
communications for more than seven days. The position of the Red Cross
is that ARES volunteers would not be permitted to provide
communications at a disaster site for more than seven days without
submitting to the Red Cross background check procedure.
 
Discussion was then held regarding the Red Cross announcement that
credit checks and mode-of-living checks would not be conducted. ARRL's
stated concern was that the ARC background investigation consent form
states that a consumer report and/or an investigative consumer report
-- which includes certain credit checks and includes mode of living
checks -- will be obtained on the volunteer signing the form. 

The ARRL team asked if the Red Cross would be willing to modify the
consent form so that it limits the authority granted by the person
signing the form to criminal background checks only. The Red Cross
representatives did not indicate a willingness to modify the consent
form. 
The ARRL team also suggested alternatives to the Red Cross
investigation firm, MyBackgroundCheck.com. ARRL was given an indication
that the Red Cross is also unwilling to accept background checks
conducted by other entities, because the Red Cross would be required to
compare the methodologies of its selected entity with those of the
alternative background-check provider. 

ARRL reiterates its recommendation that members carefully review any
consent document permitting a private organization to conduct a
background investigation on that person. The current Red Cross
background check consent form does include permission, without further
consent from the volunteer, to conduct a consumer report and/or an
investigative consumer report. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal
statutes define investigative consumer reports as including a
mode-of-living check as well as certain credit checks. 

ARRL will not suggest what organizations or agencies should or should
not be supported by volunteer Amateur Radio communications. ARRL does
wish to facilitate the provision of volunteer services, however.

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ARRL Atlantic Division
Director: William Edgar, N3LLR
n3llr at arrl.org
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