The Red Cross needs your money, blood, and... social security number.

pO157.

Posted to Legal on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 05:55:49 AM EST (promoted by Acefantastik). RSS.

The American Red Cross relies on a staff of 96% volunteer labor to get the job done every day. However, new requirements implemented on volunteers have raised some questions about their intrusiveness and scope. In short, the Red Cross is now requiring all volunteers to submit to an internet based background check in order to continue to help others in times of need.

This issue (pdf doc) came to light when the American Radio Relay League (the ARRL), a group which supplies communications assistance to the Red Cross during disasters when other methods are not available (eg Hurricane Katrina), is complaining about the requirement that its members complete an online background check in order to continue volunteering, or to be on reserve in the event of a disaster.

While the ARRL has no problem in asking its members to submit to a Red Cross criminal background check to be eligible for disaster service, considering the sensitivity and chaos of post-disaster scenes, it has a problem with the Red Cross requiring its members to be subjected to background checks that exceed a simple criminal record exam and requiring them to be registered as Red Cross volunteers and identified solely as such during a situation.

The background check consists of Name, Address, Mothers' Maiden Name, SS#, DOB, etc. While the Red Cross has told the ARRL and others that it will not access credit reports or financial information the background check fine print states that it is "all-encompassing" and applicants are asked to accept a waiver which includes the following text:

American Red Cross ("RED CROSS") will procure a consumer report and/or investigative consumer report on you for the limited purpose of evaluating you for a position with RED CROSS...
The report will contain any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on your credit worthiness, credit standing, credit, capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living which is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumer's eligibility for (A) employment purposes; or (B) any other purpose authorized under section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The types of information that may be obtained include, but are not limited to: credit reports, social security number verification, criminal records checks, public court records checks, driving records checks, educational records checks, verification of employment positions held, personal and professional references checks, licensing and certification checks, etc. The information contained in the report will be obtained from private
and/or public record sources, including sources identified by you or through interviews or correspondence with your past or present coworkers, neighbors, friends, associates, current or former employers, educational institutions or other acquaintances. I understand that while the information contained in the report or reports provided has been obtained by various third parties from public record data sources deemed reliable, their accuracy cannot be guaranteed due to potential human error in the actual recording or retrieval of the record.
The nature and scope of this disclosure and authorization is all-encompassing, however, allowing RED CROSS to obtain from any outside organization all manner of consumer reports and/or investigative consumer reports now and, if you are hired, throughout the course of your employment to the extent permitted by law.

It is unclear how experienced volunteers who have helped the Red Cross in the past or new applicants will react to this policy. Identity theft implications remain unclear as well, however, the Red Cross states that the data collected will be accessible only with the use of a password, however, no mention of storage standards or physical security methods are stated.

Will this affect communications, volunteer manpower, etc during an emergency response? According to ARRL Team Leader Steve Ewald, the policy is "just way too arbitrary," and "The unfortunate thing is that if a member decides not to submit to this check, then that will hamper our ability to serve the Red Cross in an emergency." Of course, members of the ARRL are simply one type of skilled workers needed in a disaster. It is unclear how many volunteers will balk at the new directives as well and simply choose to work with other organizations, or not at all.