5005-P – Employment of Staff/Citizenship Status Procedures
Prior to official employment, the NWESD 189 will document the citizenship/immigration information regarding employment eligibility that is furnished by the prospective employee. The information that is recorded may come from a single document which establishes both identity and authorization to work, or a document establishing identity in conjunction with another document establishing employment authority. A list of documents currently accepted by the Department of Homeland Security will be provided to applicants upon acceptance of an offer of employment.
The NWESD 189 must complete an Immigration Service form (I-9) for each staff member employed after November 6, 1986, and keep the form on file for three (3) years from the employee’s date of hire, or one (1) year after the employee’s termination date, whichever is later. Payroll/Personnel Staff will use I-9 form information to verify identification and employment authorization documents as well as Social Security Number in compliance with the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify System.
Sexual Misconduct
For prospective employees, the NWESD 189 shall request sexual misconduct information from all current and former school employers.
All prospective employees must sign a release granting permission for the NWESD 189 to contact current and former employers. The release shall authorize disclosure of acts of sexual misconduct and access to all school district files related to the misconduct. The prospective employee shall agree to release current and past employers from liability. Refusal to allow the release of information will end employment consideration of the applicant.
For certificated applicants, the NWESD 189 shall verify certification and request that the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction release all information regarding sexual misconduct.
Background Check
As per Board policy, the Superintendent may employ staff members on a temporary basis until the Board takes final action on the recommendation of the Superintendent. Employees or volunteers/interns in positions that provide unsupervised access to students are subject to background checks including fingerprint records check through the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). When necessary, new employees may be conditionally placed in a position pending clearance of a submitted fingerprint record check. This conditional placement is only permitted when it precludes unsupervised contact with students and the site administrator’s acknowledgement of restrictions is documented in writing. Should the background records results be unacceptable, conditional employment and placement shall be immediately terminated.
Volunteers/interns and employees without unsupervised access to children shall have name and date of birth background checks provided by the Washington State Patrol. All employees will authorize release of information from former employers regarding substantiated instances of sexual misconduct.
All such records shall be treated as confidential and only the NWESD 189 Assistant Superintendent for Operations and Payroll/Personnel Administrator shall be authorized to access the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s record-check data base and NWESD 189 record-check data, including records of arrest and prosecution (RAP sheets). RAP sheets shall be secured by the NWESD 189 in storage separate from personnel and applicant records. Further use of the record following initial employment or redissemination of the records to another organization or individual is expressly prohibited. Lawful use of such information does not constitute liability for defamation, invasion of privacy, or negligence, but noncompliance with this policy, relevant rules, and statutes may allow for the recovery of civil damages under applicable federal and state statutes.
Presented to Board: 05/23/01
Revised: 05/26/04
Revised: 03/23/05
Revised: 04/27/11
Revised: 11/14/11
Revised 08/26/15
Revised: 06/28/17
Revised: 08/16/17
Date Revised: 8/16/17