What do you think about the American Red Cross requiring criminal AND credit background checks for volunteers?

Question

I am a volunteer for the American Red Cross, and have been for several years. I am on call after-hours for Armed Forces Emergency Service needs (I help families of those serving in the armed forces to get messages to their soldier / sailor / marine / airman, and vice versa.).

After a very few, but very well-publicized, instances of misconduct on the part of Red Cross workers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the organization has declared that no one may volunteer without submitting to not only an CRIMINAL background check, but also a CREDIT inquiry.

If I were in a position to have my hand in the cookie jar, as it were, I would be better able to understand this. As it is, I am doing a job for which they would have to hire someone -- a job that intrudes on my personal life considerably, with calls at all hours of the night. In effect, I have chosen to do them a favor, and yet they want to know if I pay my JC Penney bill on time, or if I have a student loan.

What say you?

Answer 1

In your particular case, I would be more inclined to ask what the information was being used for. Obviously, criminal background checks that come back with bad news might be cause to ask a volunteer to leave the organization.

But what if you DON'T pay your J.C. Penney bill on time and your credit is bad? Does that mean that the ARC will say, "Hey, thanks for all those years of helping us out, but now we know you're poor or at least not paying your bills in a timely fashion, so we don't want your help any more."? As someone who also volunteers, I would be horrified if this happened to me or any of my fellow volunteers. There are really so few of us, how can organizations afford to turn us away based on a credit score?

However, if the credit background checks are simply being used as a way to discourage con-artists from even starting the volunteer process, that would be a little different, although I'm sure a lot of honest, good-hearted people would also be discouraged as well.

Best of luck to you. Thank you for giving your time to such a worthy cause. You are always appreciated!

Answer 2

There are many Volunteer Organizations that are doing this at this time -- after multiple high profile cases where there were instances of misconduct (criminal activity and stealing from the organizations -- including churches by the way), so the Red Cross is doing nothing more than what Scouts, Churches, and other Organizations are doing with their volunteers (yes, a sad commentary on our society).

Now -- I want to COMMEND you for your Volunteer Service in the Armed Forces Emergency Services area -- I was a young woman on Active Duty (and both siblings were also) when our Parents died in an Auto Accident together -- and finding us -- well, they HAD to use the Armed Forces Network to not only work our notifications, but also helped us make the flight and other plans (including coordinating with the Military Organizations we were assigned to) so that we could claim their bodies and bury them ....

I do appreciate, and I know that the Others who have also received those services appreciate all the efforts the Red Cross goes to on behalf of the Servicemember and their Families.

Answer 3

I know this is an old question, but I am still compelled to answer.
Red Cross needs to know they can trust their volunteers - who in some cases have more monetary authority and handle more private information than paid staff. They also by definition work with people who are in the process of losing something to a crisis. It's necessary for the safety of the victims - and the other volunteers- to know who is being given that authority.

No one wants to think badly of anyone who gives of their time, but the sad fact is that there will always be some opportunists who know how to scam and don't care where or when they do it. It's a good thing for any charity to screen their people - well.

Credit history can indicate a drug or gambling habit that someone has hidden, and is part of the whole picture. Your friends don't necessarily know anything about your checkbook, and if you think about every scam artist ever caught, their neighbors thought they were respectable and "quiet". These are the same people who might have given personal references.

When working with people who may be at their most vulnerable, the last thing anyone wants is specially authorized people going in to take advantage of them. These checks are the best way to protect them, so they can trust the organization that sent them. It is their first responsibility to not make the clients situation any worse, and to protect and use the donations the best they can. They're doing that.

THANK YOU for your service - it's essential to helping our servicemen and women. You are extraordinary.

Answer 4

As a New Orleans resident, I see scam artists at work all the time since Katrina. I would definitely appreciate the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations doing that sort of background check, and also making sure their people have a clearly seen identification badge when on the job. We get all kinds of jerks claiming to be volunteers with such groups, but they have no way to prove it. It would be too easy for someone in a lot of debt to volunteer and then steal money from that organization. I work in debt collection, and I see how desperate people get when they owe lots of money. If you really feel the need to help, go along with what the Red Cross is asking. You may be one of the good guys, but they need to screen out the bad ones, and this is a good way to do that.

Answer 5

I don't know if we do an FBI criminal background check, but we do have to pass a background check. I also had to be checked to work with Brownies. You're right, we are not often alone with the children, but all you need is that one time when you take a child to the bathroom, and that is one time too many. My daughter was touched by a young man who is in Cadets. He now has a conviction for sexual assault, but there is no red A on his chest, and no one knows when he goes out on sleepovers with other young children. 25% of offenders are adolescents, and in 90% of cases, the offender is someone the victim knows like a family friend. Or maybe someone they met on a school field trip. I'm okay with being checked out if it keeps my child safe.

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Answer 6

Sadly, volunteer organizations that rely upon financial donations are targets for those who wish to steal. Credit and Criminal checks are necessary in this world in which we live.

Answer 7

While this may seem to be an invasion of privacy, I fully support it...

Many of the volunteers in the Katrina aftermath commited fraud, costing the organization millions of dollars. AS a result, many people (myself included) are reluctant to donate to those causes anymore. If this eases the minds of those donating money, then it is needed....

Answer 8

Well, if you have terrible credit, you are probably more inclined to sell stuff you steal from them on eBay or something like that. They have to protect their interests too. Many employers are requiring credit checks these days as a reference to see how people manage themselves.

Answer 9

The criminal check, I can understand. You don't want to send a robber/rapist to areas with no police force, to prey on people already vulnerable.

But credit check? Uh.. unless they want to start offering you assistance, I don't think its any of their business.

Answer 10

i have no idea, but that will limit the amount of blood they will get, because i have bad credit and a special blood type but i wont be able to do it.