credit checks and new adult application form

[eisely]

I was surfing our council web site for current information and noted the item in quotation marks below.

 

"The adult application now includes a separate Disclosure/Authorization Form. Signing this form means you give the BSA and the reporting agency permission to procure consumer reports on you for as long as you remain a volunteer. This form is required in order to process the application. While separate Disclosure/Authorization forms are available, we recommend that units destroy any old applications that do not include the Disclosure/Authorization Form and use only the current version."

 

 

Anybody heard of this credit check business before? I don't know why BSA feels the need to run any credit checks on ordinary volunteers. I accept the idea of doing criminal background checks, but this seems to be going a bit too far.(This message has been edited by eisely)

[kbandit]

This is a copy and paste of the entire page in question from the current adult application.

 

 

 

Disclosure/Authorization Form

NOTICE TO APPLICANT REGARDING BACKGROUND CHECK

In order to safeguard the youth in our care, the Boy Scouts of America will procure consumer reports

on you in connection with your application to serve as a volunteer, and the Boy Scouts of America

may procure additional consumer reports at any time during your service as a volunteer in order to

evaluate your continued suitability for volunteer service. The Boy Scouts of America has contracted

with ChoicePoint, a consumer reporting agency, to provide the consumer reports. ChoicePoint may

be contacted by mail at ChoicePoint, 1000 Alderman Drive, Alpharetta, GA 30005 or by telephone at

800-845-6004.

The consumer reports may contain information bearing on your character, general reputation,

personal characteristics, and mode of living. The types of information that may be obtained

include but are not limited to Social Security number verification, sex offender registry checks,

criminal records checks, inmate records searches, and court records checks. The information

contained in these consumer reports may be obtained by ChoicePoint from public record sources.

The consumer reports will not include credit record checks or motor vehicle record checks.

The nature and scope of the consumer reports are described above. Nonetheless, you are

entitled to request a complete and accurate disclosure of the nature and scope of such reports

by submitting a written request to ChoicePoint at the address listed above. Additional notices

for applicants in California, New York, Minnesota, and Oklahoma are provided.

 

APPLICANTS ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND AUTHORIZATION

I have carefully read this notice and authorization form and I hereby authorize the Boy Scouts of

America and ChoicePoint to procure a consumer report, which as described above will include

information relating to my criminal history as received from reporting agencies. I understand that

this information will be used to determine my eligibility for a volunteer position with the Boy Scouts

of America. I also understand that as long as I remain a volunteer, additional consumer reports may

be procured at any time. I understand that if the Boy Scouts of America chooses not to accept my

application or to revoke my membership based on information contained in a consumer report, I will

receive a summary of my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and contact information for the

reporting agency, ChoicePoint.

 

ADDITIONAL NOTICES TO CALIFORNIA, MINNESOTA, OKLAHOMA,

AND NEW YORK APPLICANTS

California

Under California law, the consumer reports described above that the Boy Scouts of America will procure on

you are defined as investigative consumer reports. These reports will be procured in connection with your

application to serve as a volunteer, and additional reports may be procured at any time during your service

as a volunteer in order to evaluate your continued suitability for volunteer service. The reports may include

information on your character, general reputation, personal characteristics, and mode of living.

Under section 1786.22 of the California Civil Code, you may inspect the file maintained on you by Choice-

Point, during normal business hours and with proper identification. You may also obtain a copy of this file,

upon submitting proper identification and paying the costs of duplication, by appearing at ChoicePoints

offices in person, during normal business hours and on reasonable notice, or by certified mail upon

making a written request. You may also receive a summary of the information contained in this file by

telephone. ChoicePoint will provide trained personnel to explain any information furnished to you and will

provide a written explanation of any coded information. This written explanation will be provided when-

ever a file is provided to you for visual inspection. If you appear in person, you may be accompanied by

one other person of your choosing, who must furnish reasonable identification.

For Applicants in California, Minnesota, and Oklahoma Only

You have the right to request a free copy of any report procured on you. If you wish to receive a free

copy of any report procured on you, check the box below.

I request a free copy of any report procured on me.

New York

As explained above, a consumer report will be requested in connection with your application, and addi-

tional consumer reports may be requested during the course of your service with the Boy Scouts of Amer-

ica. You have the right, upon request, to be informed whether or not a consumer report was requested

and, if a consumer report was request, of the name and address of the consumer reporting agency that

furnished the consumer report.

 

 

I believe if you read this you find they will not look at credit or motor vehicle record issues.

This seems to me as an extention of the criminal background check.

[eisely]

Thank you for clearing that up.

[le Voyageur]

ah yes....Choice Point. The data mining agency created by neo Conservatives. Guess our Texas based BSA Inc. has decided to lean hard right....(big sigh)

 

Has me wondering how many BSA volunteers who lean middle to left will now be scrubed from voter lists during major elections....

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChoicePoint

 

 

[SctDad]

My only question is, how does my credit history have any effect on my ability to be a leader.

 

I think this may be going a bit too far

[eisely]

Not wishing to further spread false rumors, apparently BSA is not going to be doing credit checks. When I wrote my initial post I had not been able to locate a copy of the new adult application. When you read through what was pasted into the second post, credit checks are specifically excluded.

 

I was mislead by the wording on my own council's website. When I hear the phrase "consumer reports" I automatically think of credit reports rather than the other items. Even so, I am still somewhat leary of this degree of monitoring.

[shortridge]

Does anyone know if this is actually a change in procedure, or just a revamped disclosure form to reflect what they've been doing for some time?

[eisely]

That is an excellent question. I will give national the benefit of the doubt and believe that it is a new procedure. Our national dues are also going up, probably in part to fund these additional checks. I actually have now had a chance to look at the relevant page on the form and note that, as a resident of California, I have some specific rights under California law, including the right to receive free copies of any such reports. When and if I ever sign the new form, you can bet that I will be checking that box. Living in the granola state occasionally has its advantages.

[SctDad]

OK I see where you may be comeing from.

 

I have no problem with the BSA doing background checks on my criminal history. Our state (i think like may states) has a sex offenders registry.

 

Criminal HIstory

Offender registry

And even character references like they actually have on the applications

 

Why are they trying to go overboard. Check the references that are provided.

 

I do not think that my ability to pay my credit cards on time or where I go shopping has anything to do with my ability to lead.

 

I would however agree with repeat checks every two or three years, or as needed, when situations are presented to the district or council.

 

Check what is relevant. That is all that you need to do.

[eisely]

My concern is about BSA national, or anybody else, pulling up and relying on unsubstantiated derogatory information. Anybody who has been involved in any litigation or dispute with a neighbor could well have unsubstantiated derogatory information in these kinds of data bases that such a person may know nothing about. People will knowingly say nasty false things about other people as a way of getting back at them. Who at national or the council level has the experience and judgment to interpret these things?