Applies to: All Employers with MA Employees
Effective: April 9, 2020
The Massachusetts Dept. of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) recently issued emergency regulations modifying the process for verifying the identity of an individual for whom a background check will be run through DCJIS’s iCORI database (CORI). As part of the normal CORI process, individuals must provide written authorization to run their criminal history and requestors must verify the individual’s identity in person. Because employers must limit in-person interactions due to COVID-19 and associated public safety restrictions, requestors can verify an applicant’s identity via teleconference rather than the usual in-person process.
Additionally, if a requestor is unable to verify an individual’s identity in person, by notary, or by teleconference, then the requestor may petition DCJIS for approval to use an alternative means to verify identity. Upon termination of the current state of emergency, all CORI requests verified in this manner must be verified either in person or through submitting a notarized CORI Acknowledgement Form within seven business days. Employers should track all individuals verified pursuant to these emergency measures in order to later obtain timely identification verifications.
Action Items
- Review the emergency regulation here.
- Implement videoconference verification procedures, or request permission to use alternative procedures.
- Track individuals verified using video conference or alternative verification procedures.
- Once the state of emergency is lifted, review identification documents in person within seven business days.
- Subscribers can call our HR Hotline at (833) 268-5531 or send an email to hrsolved@onedigital.com for further assistance.
This content is restricted to subscribers. If you are an existing user, please log in.
