ARRL board says 'no' to background credit checks

The ARRL Board of Directors has issued a policy statement saying no to the demand by served agencies for lifestyle and financial background checks on Amateur Radio volunteers. The action came at the recent Board of Directors Meeting held July 20th and 21st .

ARNewsline's Don Carlson, KQ6FM, is in Reno with more:

A major concern to the ARRL Board of Directors was the topic of served agencies and background investigations.

An Ad Hoc Background Investigation Committee empanelled by the ARRL some time ago agreed that pursuing federally recognized credentialing for Amateur Radio volunteers was critical for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service to function. The Committee chairman, Atlantic Division Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR, proposed that the Board adopt a policy with regard to Memoranda of Understanding with the various served agencies.

After some discussion the Board did approve a policy on this issue. One that says communications volunteers participating in ARRL sponsored programs should not be required by served agencies to undergo background investigations of any kind. The Directors did however note that criminal background checks as performed by law enforcement agencies are generally acceptable.

But the policy statement also seemed to refute the American Red Cross demand that its contractor, mybackgroundcheck dot com, be given free reign to delve into a volunteer's personal finances and lifestyle.

While the ARRL Board did not name the American Red Cross in its policy statement, to anyone familiar with the position of the American Red Cross on this issue, the intent is hard to miss.

The ARRL policy continues - and we quote:
"It is not reasonable for a served agency to require these volunteers to consent to credit checks, mode of living investigations or investigative consumer reports.
In negotiating or renegotiating Memoranda of Understanding that commits the League to provide volunteer emergency communications support, the League must be assured that these volunteers will not be required by the partner organization to consent to credit checks, mode of living investigations or investigative consumer reports."
End quote.

The ARRL policy stopped short of telling those radio amateurs wanting to volunteer to agencies that require credit and lifestyle checks not to do so. That said, many hams will likely now think twice before clicking away their financial information to any group that wants them to work for free.

Don Carlson, KQ6FM
Amateur Radio Newsline

• The bottom line.: It appears that the ARRL Board of Directors has now thrown the hot issue of lifestyle and credit check demands back in the lap of the American Red Cross and any other served agency that might make such a demand of ham radio volunteers. That also leaves the next move up to them.

Source: Amateur Radio Newsline, ARRL