Job Hunter Tires of the Third Degree

After being laid off, I am on the job market for the first time in a long time. I have been completely taken aback by this experience.

These days, applicants are treated like criminals. Interviewers say "Wow! What an impressive résumé!" But then, since they apparently don't trust you or your references, they investigate your background, check your credit and test you for drugs.

Congress Approves More Background Checks on US Gun Buyers

The US Congress, spurred into action by the Virginia Tech shooting rampage in April, approved Wednesday a measure broadening background checks for gun buyers.

The measure, the first major gun control legislation approved since 1994, passed by voice vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Big Ten Denies Football Games Were Fixed

The Yahoo! Sports story detailed Stephen Pamon's bankruptcy and criminal record while alleging that he is a problem casino gambler with a history of abusing women and children.

As for the far-reaching question of why the Big Ten would allow a man with such a seemingly checkered past to officiate football games, Delany said the Big Ten conducted background checks on all 300 of its football and basketball officials at the end of 2005.

The report on Pamon revealed two issues: He had been convicted of misdemeanor battery in 1997 and had filed for bankruptcy in 2002.

Local Schools To Beef Up Background Checks

New beefed-up background checks could catch criminals working in public schools in Central Texas.

Before the new system goes into effect in January, the Texas Education Agency, or TEA, is telling school districts what they can expect.

About one million school employees across the state will be required to have a criminal history background check performed.

Bill Would Help Curb Gun Violence

Seattle will join other communities around Washington to form a coalition to reduce gun violence.

State Rep. Patricia Lantz, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has agreed to sponsor legislation that would deny guns to anyone who has been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility and improve the reporting of mental health information to the National Instant Background Check System.

Suspect in Ramsey Killing Seeks Background Check

An Alabama resident who gained notoriety for falsely confessing to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey has requested a criminal background check of himself as part of a job search in Georgia.

Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper says 43-year-old John Mark Karr showed up at the police department yesterday seeking the screening.

He says Karr received a form confirming that he had no convictions in Alabama.

Board Proposes Background Checks

The Board of Education recently introduced a policy that would require long-term volunteers at the elementary school to undergo a criminal background check.

Superintendent Stephen LaValva said the proposed policy is intended to ensure the safety of students interacting with volunteer coaches, club mentors and others who help with after-school activities on a regular basis.

Those volunteers, LaValva said, have more responsibility, influence, and, of course, interaction with students.

Pennsylvania Background Checks Available Online

People can do criminal background checks over the Internet for people living in Pennsylvania.

Police say anyone can run a background check using the "Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History" system. The system instantly determines if the name entered has a record associated with it.

If it doesn't, the system displays "no record." But if it does, troopers review the record and mail any findings to the person doing the check.

Sports Park Guard Had Criminal Record

Dennis Myers, the Visalia Riverway Sports Park "guest host" who has admitted to stealing more than $10,000 in copper wire — shutting down the park's soccer-field lighting system in the process — has a long criminal history, public records show.

But city officials considered a full criminal-background check unnecessary because of Myers' performance as a 24-hour security employee for the contractor who built most of the sports park's infrastructure, said Visalia Parks and Recreation Department Director Vince Elizondo.

"He passed his drug test," Elizondo said. "And [he] came highly recommended by everyone we talked to."

Police Chief Fired Over Unauthorized Background Check

The first female police chief in a South Georgia town is looking for another job after being fired for invading the privacy of a city council member.

Poulan Police Chief Angie Schlosser was placed on administrative leave with pay this week for running an unauthorized criminal background check on Councilman Vann Jones. On Thursday, the city council met in executive session and voted unanimously to fire her.

The chief has said she ran the background check to complete the requirements of employment for Jones, who was applying for a job.

Salvation Army Forgoes Background Checks Despite Alleged Theft

The Salvation Army says allegations against a bell ringer won't change how they do business this time of year.

Sean Sayers, 33, was arrested this week for allegedly stealing Christmas ornaments from the Wal-Mart where he was working outside as a bell ringer, a violation of his probation on a previous case.

"It always makes me sad," said Major Richard Hartman of the Salvation Army about the Anderson case. "I wish we could introduce them to Jesus and let them know that God can change their lives. You don't have to steal."

Randstad Doesn't Hire Illegals, Official Said

There is new information in the NewsChannel 5 Investigation that uncovered illegal immigrants working inside one of Middle Tennessee's largest employers.

The workers are using fake documents to get hired at the Electrolux plant in Robertson County.

Anchor/reporter Scott Arnold's undercover investigation revealed exactly how the undocumented immigrants were hired.

CSU Implements New Background Check Policy After Employee Arrest

Colorado State University is instituting a new background check policy a day after an employee was arrested for multiple sexual assaults and burglaries.

Samuel Kase White, 30, was arrested Monday night for sexual assault and burglary in two separate cases. Fort Collins Police say both incidents happened on September 28.

White was an administrative assistant in CSU's human resources department and had some access to personnel information, according to the university. He was hired last April.

Wife of Las Vegas Sands' CEO Must Have Background Check

The wife of Las Vegas Sands' chief executive officer isn't exempt from a casino background investigation, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board ruled Monday.

Sands BethWorks, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands Corp., asked the state regulatory agency to exempt Miriam Adelson from a background investigation, even though the casino lists her as one of its principals.

Principals are those with ownership stakes in a facility and could have some decision-making powers.

They are required by state law to undergo background investigations in order to be licensed.

Some Tips for Giving this Holiday

‘Tis the season for giving, and with the year coming to a close, many area residents will find ways to squeeze their donations in before year end.

But Pittsburg Police Lt. Henry Krantz urged locals to be careful when deciding who to donate to.

"Know the people you are giving to," Krantz said. "They need to show some sort of credibility in who they are collecting for and have a reputable background or reputable name for who they are. There's nothing to say you can't do some background check or make some phone calls to make sure it is viable."

Criminal Background Check Required for Green Bay Cabbies

There's a new ordinance in Green Bay, and officials say they put in on the books just in time.

The ordinance to require criminal background checks of those who drive taxicabs, limos, day care vans and medical transport vans was passed after a cab driver was accused of raping one of his customers.

Mukasey tells Utah Gathering That Instant Gun Background Check System Working

He did not talk about "waterboarding" or wiretapping.

Instead, Michael Mukasey focused on cooperation between state and federal prosecutors during his first public remarks since becoming U.S. Attorney General.

Mukasey announced that the number of people barred from purchasing guns because of mental health problems has doubled since the Virginia Tech shootings earlier this year. It was because of a joint federal-state database initiative that allows authorities to share information.

Church Adopts Background Check Procedures

With registered sex offenders living and working among us in Meridian, Northcrest Baptist Church says none of those offenders will work or volunteer at their church.

Last month, Northcrest implemented a policy that requires all new personnel working with youth to undergo two types of background checks.

State May Regulate Computer Dating

New Jersey is one step closer to requiring criminal background checks for online dating services, something lawmakers insist will make the Internet safer but others say will do little to actually protect people.

A bill cleared unanimously by the Assembly's Law and Public Safety Committee on Monday would require online dating sites to either screen users for past criminal offenses or prominently disclose that they do not.