Background Screenings for Authorized Personnel
Download the Youth Programs Background Check Process document the OYPC has created to communicate to current or new staff to explain all steps required for the background check along with frequently asked questions.
Screening process
UW HR and the University’s background check vendor, Sterling, conduct a Criminal Conviction and Civil Finding Background Check.
The background check (screening) process is initiated once a youth program session or youth-involved research study is registered within the Youth Program Registration System (YPRS) if authorized personnel are added to the session or study. The registration form must be formally submitted in YPRS for the screening process to be initiated for authorized personnel. The screening process also begins whenever a new authorized personnel is added to an already-registered session or study in the Youth Program Registration System (YPRS).
UW HR will first check for existing, current (within 3 years), valid screenings in UW records. Program directors/principal investigators may indicate in YPRS during registration if they believe authorized personnel have existing background checks on file with UW HR. If no existing screening is located, or the screening has expired, UW HR will initiate a new screening 4-6 weeks before the session start date.
Below are template notifications received by program directors/principal investigators and/or authorized personnel throughout the process.
Email Templates
To: Authorized Personnel
From: UW HR Youth Program Background Checks (via Ideal-Logic, @ideal-logic.com)
Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: Complete Background Check Authorization Form
Dear [AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL NAME],
You are receiving this message because you need to participate in a criminal history background check before you can start working or volunteering for Department/Program at the University of Washington, and/or to continue serving as authorized personnel in UW registered youth program. A complete description of the Criminal Conviction and Civil Finding Background Check process is on the HR Total Talent Management background check website.
Please complete the Disclosure & Authorization form linked below within 72 hours to authorize the University to run a Criminal Conviction and Civil Finding Background Check. Once you have completed this authorization, submit the form online or return it to UW Human Resources. An accessible version of the Disclosure & Authorization form can be found by clicking “Accessible Version” in the lower right-hand corner of the window.
Failure to complete the Disclosure & Authorization form may result in: a delayed start date, ineligibility to work at the University of Washington, ineligibility to continue serving as authorized personnel in UW registered youth program and/or may be considered a decline for the appointment.
CLICK THIS LINK TO FILL OUT THE DISCLOSURE & AUTHORIZATION FORM
Please let me know if you have any questions by replying to this message.
Sincerely,
UW Human Resources Background Checks
To: Authorized Personnel
From: Sterling (no-reply@uss.sterlingcheck.app)
Subject: University of Washington Prehire Background Check: ACTION NEEDED
Dear Applicant:
The University of Washington (UW) has offered you employment conditioned on the successful completion of a criminal history background check. The University contracts with Sterling to process these checks.
Please follow the link below as soon as possible to provide Sterling with the information needed to complete your UW pre-hire background check. This link will expire on [expiration date], so please respond as soon as possible.
[Link]
The link will take you to the Sterling website where you will be asked to create a Sterling user account. If you previously created a Sterling account for another background check at UW or another organization, please login to your existing account and do not create a new one. Be sure to save your Sterling login credentials.
This email has been sent by Sterling on behalf of the University of Washington. If you require assistance with the above process, please contact Sterling at: UWHelp@sterlingcheck.com or (605) 681-6795 (extension 7619). Thank you.
Regards,
Sterling
To: Authorized Personnel
CC: Session/study contact
From: UW HR Youth Program Background Checks (via Ideal-Logic, @ideal-logic.com)
Subject: UW Background Check Instructions
Dear [AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL NAME],
Your University of Washington background check will be initiated shortly.
You will soon receive a time sensitive invitation from Sterling, the University’s background check vendor. The message will be sent from no-reply@uss.sterlingcheck.app with the subject line “University of Washington Background Check: ACTION NEEDED.”
The email will include a link to the Sterling website where you will be asked to create a Sterling user account. If you previously created a Sterling account for another background check at UW or another organization, please login to your existing account and do not create a new one. Be sure to save your Sterling login credentials.
This process is required for you to work or volunteer with [Name of Youth Program] and/or to continue serving as authorized personnel in UW registered youth program.
If you need assistance with the Sterling background check tool, please contact Sterling directly at: UWHelp@sterlingcheck.com or (605) 681-6795 (extension 7619).
Sincerely,
UW Human Resources Background Checks
To: Authorized Personnel
CC: Session/study contact
From: UW HR Youth Program Background Checks (via Ideal-Logic, @ideal-logic.com)
Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: Expired Sterling Invitation
Dear [AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL NAME],
This email is to notify you that the link to initiate your University of Washington background check through Sterling has now expired.
I have resent your Sterling invitation. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folders for a message from no-reply@uss.sterlingcheck.app with the subject line “University of Washington Background Check: ACTION NEEDED.”
This process is required for you to work or volunteer with [Name of Youth Program] and/or to continue serving as authorized personnel in UW registered youth program.
Failure to complete this invitation will potentially result in a delayed start date, ineligibility to work or volunteer for the UW program that initiated your background check request, and/or may be considered a decline for the appointment.
If you need assistance with the Sterling background check tool, please contact Sterling directly at: UWHelp@sterlingcheck.com or (605) 681-6795 (extension 7619).
Thank you,
UW Human Resources Background Checks
To: Authorized Personnel
CC: Program Director
From: UW HR Youth Program Background Checks (via Ideal-Logic, @ideal-logic.com)
Subject: University of Washington Background Check – Clear
Dear [AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL NAME],
You recently consented to a criminal history background check required for you to work or volunteer at the University of Washington and/or to continue serving as authorized personnel in UW registered youth program.
Your background check has been completed by Sterling and reported that you have no disqualifying convictions for crimes related to the position you have been offered or to continue serving as authorized personnel in a UW registered youth program.
You can access a copy of your background check by logging into your Sterling account to download a copy or by contacting Sterling directly at UWHelp@sterlingcheck.com or (605) 681-6795 (extension 7619).
Thank you,
UW Human Resources Background Checks
Disqualifying Convictions
The following are convictions which may disqualify personnel from serving in a role with access to youth:
- Crimes against persons or property including various degrees or categories of the following types of crimes: murder, assault, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, rape, child molestation, sexual exploitation or misconduct, human trafficking, possessing and/or trafficking in child pornography, criminal abandonment, indecent exposure, abuse or neglect, arson
- Crimes such as burglary, theft, fraud, embezzlement, or identity theft, computer fraud
- Separately identified computer crimes with a similar purpose, intent or effect as the above listed crimes
- Crimes that are substantially similar to or closely related to the above crimes
All convictions and offenses are reviewed for eligibility on a case-by-case basis. More information is available on UW HR’s Total Talent Management’s hiring pages. Please note that while these convictions may disqualify people from working in youth-oriented roles, they may not constitute disqualifying convictions for other roles at the University.
Disclosure of Screening Results
- If personnel report a disqualifying conviction on their Criminal History Disclosure & Authorization (CHD) form, UW HR will notify program directors/principal investigators by phone of their ineligibility to serve in the designated role.
- CHD forms with no disqualifying convictions reported will allow UW HR to proceed with the background check process.
- Cleared Sterling background checks will be recorded in the YPRS with a green checkmark. Program directors/principal investigators and authorized personnel will also receive a confirmation email from UW HR Youth Programs Background Checks (via ideal-logic.com).
- If the Sterling background check finds a disqualifying conviction, UW HR will notify program directors/principal investigators by phone.
Data Retention
The Office of the Youth Protection Coordinator and UW HR abide by UW’s data retention policies, which govern how long information collected from or about staff and volunteers must be retained before safely destroyed. To learn more about these policies or with questions about them, please see:
- Records Management Services: oversees University compliance with state and federal laws and regulations on retaining and destroying records
- Retention Schedules: developed by Records Management Services; outline lengths of time University entities must retain various types of documentation and information, including:
- University General Records Retention Schedule (e.g., UW HR’s records, including background check materials)
- Materials That May Be Disposed of Without a Specific Retention Period (e.g., duplicate records, extracted data, certain notifications developed during the background check and youth program registration processes)
- Personnel and Payroll Records (e.g., personnel records including staff lists in the YPRS, training records)
Questions?
Contact UW HR at ypbc@uw.edu.