Rule 290-2-3-.21 - Criminal Records and Comprehensive Background Checks(1) Satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination or Satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination Required(a) The Home must ensure that the Provider, every actual and potential Employee (including residents age 17 and older) and Provisional Employee of the Family Child Care Learning Home must submit both a Records Check Application to the Department and Fingerprints to an authorized fingerprinting site.(b) Every Provider must have a current and valid satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination on file prior to being present at the Home while any child is present for care or before residing in the Home. The Comprehensive Records Check Determination must have a Records Check Clearance Date that is no older than the preceding 12 months of the license date; provided, however, if the Provider has had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, a new satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination is required.(c) Every Employee must have a current and valid satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination on file prior to being present at the Home while any child is present for care or before residing in the Home if age 17 or older. The Comprehensive Records Check Determination must have a Records Check Clearance Date that is no older than the preceding 12 months of the hire date; provided, however, if the Employee has had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, a new satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination is required.(d) Every Provisional Employee must have a current and valid satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination on file prior to being present at the Home while any child is present for care or before residing in the Home if age 17 or older and must be supervised at all times by a Provider or Employee with a current and valid satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination. The Fingerprint Records Check Determination must have a Records Check Clearance Date that is no older than the preceding 12 months of the hire date; provided, however, if the Provisional Employee has had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, a new satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination is required.(e) No actual or potential Provider, Employee or Provisional Employee of the Family Child Care Learning Home with an unsatisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination or an unsatisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination may be present at a Home when any child is present for care or reside in a Home.(f) Valid Evidence of a satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination must be maintained at the Family Child Care Learning Home for each Provisional Employee for the duration of employment or residency plus one year, and such electronic evidence must be made immediately available to the Department upon request.(g) Valid Evidence of a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination must be maintained at the Family Child Care Learning Home for the Provider, and each Employee (including Students-in-Training, volunteers, independent contractors and residents age 17 and older) for the duration of employment or residency plus one year, and such electronic evidence must be made immediately available to the Department upon request.(h) Every Provider must receive a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination before October 1, 2018.(i) The Home must ensure that every Provisional Employee requests child abuse and neglect registry information and criminal history documents from any U.S. state, territory or tribal land other than Georgia in which they have resided in the preceding five years and submit such documents to the Department in a timely manner. Failure to request out-of-state information will result in the issuance of an unsatisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination.(j) For a Provisional Employee to become a permanent Employee, the individual must have a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination.(k) Portability for Providers, Employees and Provisional Employees, excluding Students-in-Training. Only the most recently issued determination letter is eligible for portability and must be ported electronically. A Provider may accept a satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination letter for a Provisional Employee or a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination letter issued by the Department for a potential Employee if the individual's Records Check Clearance Date is within the preceding 12 months from the hire date, the individual has not had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, and the Provider does not know or reasonably should not know that the individual's satisfactory status has changed.(l) Portability for Students-in-Training. Only the most recently issued determination letter is eligible for portability and must be ported electronically. A Provider may accept a satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination or a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination letter issued by the Department for a Student-in-Training if the Records Check Clearance Date is within the preceding 24 months from the hire date, the Provider has verified and maintains evidence on file at the Home that the Student-in-Training is currently enrolled in a high school recognized by the Department of Education or an early education curriculum through an accredited school of higher education, the individual has not had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, and the Provider does not know or reasonably should not know that the individual's satisfactory status has changed.(m) Recheck Required. The Home must immediately require that every Provider, Employee and Provisional Employee submit to the Comprehensive Records Check Determination process at the following times:1. When the Provider knows or reasonably should know that an Employee or Provisional Employee has been arrested or charged for any covered Crime;2. When there is a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 calendar days (6 months) or longer;3. At least once every five years; and4. When the Department so requests.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 290-2-3-.21
O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-1et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 9857 et seq.
Original Rule entitled "Criminal Records Check" adopted. F. Dec. 13, 2013; eff. Jan. 2, 2014.Amended: F. Dec. 4, 2015; eff. Dec. 24, 2015.Amended: New title "Criminal Records and Comprehensive Background Checks." F. Aug. 17, 2018; eff. Sep. 6, 2018.Amended: F. Aug. 28, 2019; eff. Sep. 17, 2019.Amended: F. Aug. 26, 2022; eff. Sep. 15, 2022.