Jim, I agree on the issues discussed concerning the ARC background checks. Working for the FAA, I have never had a background check completed by anyone other than a law enforcement agency. I have been in two areas of my Division and I have heard two differant concepts about background checks. One group was saying they are only asking for criminal checks and the other group said they want the three checks in question. I called the ARC and it appears they maybe wanting to do all three checks. I called the ARC and I didn't get a clear understanding if they wanted to do only criminal background checks for ARES and hams. This is going to be a hard issue to sell. I believe everyone will more or less agree with a criminal background check is needed. Someone in LA told me it was bad business in LA and MS; however, the ARC is trying to cover their mistakes. Jim, I saw somewhere the MOU between ARC and ARES (us) is up for renewal in early 2007. 73, Henry R. Leggette, WD4Q ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Weaver" <k8je@arrl.org> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 9:54 PM Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:14754] Red Cross background check Mike, I'm not planning to up the ante on ODV, but I've already discussed the stupidity of the Mybackgroundcheck.com requirement that people "us" volunteers must give approval for Credit and mode of living checks via my monthly (or more often) newsletter to members. I've also drafted a letter to the local Chapter with copies to my friend, the Disaster Chairman in which I give approval for RC to do a criminal check only on me and chastise them for their abysmal business practice regarding the other checks. This attitude (as Joel knows) has not been popular with a couple of Great Lakes Division members, but is supported by most of them who have expressed an opinion. I have no idea how other members of the Board Family feel regarding any possible outright recommendation against giving permission to the checks, but I do not intend to recommend against any GLD member giving approval to the whole enchilada. Conversely, I certainly will not recommend to any of them that they give such OK. I suggest that the caution Joel gave to members is as far as we ought to go under existing circumstances. Having said this, I understand fully that the National office of the ANRC is about as arrogant as any group of people can be. (My familiarity with the Cincinnati Area Chapter is delightfully different.) Nonetheless, I am a little disappointed that our supposed good relations with ANRC don't seem to have provided any benefit (including prior warning and the ability to discuss the pending situation) whatsoever. I realize I am naïve when it comes to many practices monitored and managed by HQ, but I would have hoped we would have had some mechanism for initiating productive discussions before a bomb of this type had been dropped. It would seem to me that our MOU with the RC is essentially worthless if it does not foster mutual discussions on thorny topics. OK, someone, shoot me down. Jim Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director ARRL Great Lakes Division 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 E-mail: k8je@arrl.org; Tel.: 513-459-0142 -----Original Message----- From: Mike Raisbeck [mailto:k1twf@arrl.net] Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 8:57 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14754] Red Cross background check Below is a quote from Red Cross's Laura Howe, as presented in the ARRL letter today. Sure looks fishy to me. It's political BS, and, of course, you all know it ;-) I think some VERY direct answers from the Red Cross are in order. 1 - WHY is it important that the credit check language be included? 2 - Since the credit check is apparently quite rare, WHY must the consent be given ahead of time? Why not request the permission only when there is an intent to run a credit check. At this point, if I am asked by any ham what I would do if I were asked to give the consent requested by the Red Cross, I will respond quite directly that I would not give consent. Lest you think I'm opposed to all checks, let me point out that as chairman and member of a charter school board, I have had to fill out annual financial disclosure forms, and to submit to criminal background checks (called CORI Checks here in Massachusetts.) These make sense in the context of the position held. No one, however, has ever asked me for a credit check in these contexts. It seems to me that the "tread cautiously and read very carefully ..." pablum that we have been dishing out as advice to our members is an order of magnitude too weak. Guess I'll be sitting out the next hurricane :-( Mike K1TWF PS - let's up the ante a little. I ask each of you to state to ODV whether or not you have or will sign up for this check. Please explain your answer, and please indicate whether you are willing to share your answer with your consitiuents. ----------------------- "The Red Cross realizes some volunteers may have concerns about authorizing a credit check. Those concerns are understandable," Howe said. "But please rest assured that credit checks are only run in rare instances and are not a part of the routine minimum basic check the Red Cross performs on employees or volunteers." Howe told the League that the "standard minimum check" verifies the applicant's Social Security number and a search of the National Criminal File for the past seven years. "While the Red Cross will never run a credit check on the vast majority of its employees and volunteers," she asserted, "it is important that this standard language is included in the consent form to protect our clients, volunteers and employees." ----------------------------------- Michael N. Raisbeck Phone: (978) 250-1236 Fax: (978) 250-0432 Email: k1twf@arrl.net CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email may contain privileged and confidential information intended only for the above-named recipient. If you have received this in error, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, or copying is strictly prohibited. In such case, please notify us by reply email and delete this message.