Background Checks Come To Colorado

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Adam

Those of us in Colorado got emails today from CHSAA stating that we will have to submit an arrest report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation before the seasons this year.

Some questions raised on our local FB page that aren't answered in the memo from CHSAA:

1. Who stores the information?
2. How is the review board assigned?

And the big question dealing with efficacy: What's to prevent a convicted offender from using an alias to get his officiating license and submitting an arrest report for the fictional alias? I don't recall submitting any ID when I signed up the first time.

Fingerprints?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Fingerprints?

Not part of the package at this point.

[rockyroad]

But you will have to provide SSN and DL#, correct?

[MD Longhorn]

An "arrest" report? I don't even know how I'd go about finding that sort of thing on myself. Background checks are one thing - "arrest report" sounds like something entirely different... and the 2 concerns you raised are exactly what I would have a problem with.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

An "arrest" report? I don't even know how I'd go about finding that sort of thing on myself. Background checks are one thing - "arrest report" sounds like something entirely different... and the 2 concerns you raised are exactly what I would have a problem with.

Instructions were given to go to the CBI website and buy the form. Sounds pretty simple, but I'll let you know if it's different. The idea is any arrests you've had will show up and require further documentation to show their disposition. Convictions will require review by a board.

[Adam]

Perusing the website, it sure seems easy to submit false information (no SSN required). Name and birthday are all that are required.

[shavano]

CHSAA officials had to know this was coming after the events of the basketball season. The letter from MT & TR even states "highly publicized arrests of officials" as the primary reason for the new policy. Wonder how many officials are simply going to say "enough" and walk away...

Be ready for the additional notes in your state packet this fall bemoaning the lack of officials again.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Adam

Not part of the package at this point.

I'm surprised they didn't go with the fingerprint plan first. It wouldn't eliminate fraud but it would make it much more difficult. Plus there's no need to submit anything about your background. If you've been arrested, it'll come up.

NYC started fingerprinting officials in the 2008-09 school year (it's a requiement for anyone doing regular business with the NYC public schools). A lot of people objected but as my BV assignor said, "You don't have to get fingerprinted but you also don't have to work." Let's just say our officiating ranks took a hit at the start of that season. My only objection was we had to pay the $115 for the process.

[scrounge]

Also, a bit tangentially but since it came up, organizations are required to send you a 1099 if you provide over $600 of services, but they're by no means prohibited from sending you a 1099 for less than $600.

The IRS has been pushing for more and more reporting of independent contractor pay for a few years now and leaning on easily identifiable organizations like schools to do so. I got two 1099s this year for less than $600. One school district did it for one game - a 1099 for a single $40 game. I think this will be more and more prevalent in the future.

[bob jenkins]

I think (but am not sure) that the schools report it all to the IRS, but only need send it to you if > $600.

Doesn't matter to me either way -- I report it all whether I get cash, a check for < $600 or a check(s) for > $600.

[Raymond]

We get 1099 from our associations. Our associations have a separate form they are supposed to maintain to document the $$$ coming in from the schools, but I forget the form number.

[Smitty]

I would once have said "who cares?" to background checks, except that I got burned on a very poor job of background checking on myself. A couple years ago our assigner sent out an email to contact one of the local YMCAs if you wanted to work their leagues and so I did. They did a routine background check and since I have a very common name, someone with the same name who was arrested for a felony in Baltimore (where I've never been in my life) came back and so they flagged me as that person and refused to allow me to ref their games. I had to prove I wasn't that guy. Shockingly, it was very difficult to prove I wasn't that guy. It was a very uncomfortable and irritating reality check. Ultimately I proved I wasn't that guy, but the experience left such a bitter taste in my mouth I wanted nothing to do with them. Turns out, when you leave these things in the hands of amateurs, you can get burned.