Legal Focus

On October 22, 2014 Governor Corbett signed HB 435 of 2103, as amended, into law as Act153. This amendment to Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301, et seq, (CPSL) expands background clearance requirements to include volunteers who will have contact with children (among other changes applicable to adoptive/ foster parents).

Volunteer clearances are required by July 15, 2015 but the new law does not explicitly define the “employers, administrators, supervisors, or other person responsible for selection of volunteers” who must complete background clearances of volunteers. So, it is important for employers to learn about the law’s requirements and be careful to consider compliance issues when volunteers are involved. This article includes the information about the changes to the Child Protective Services Law, grounds for disqualifying a volunteer applicant, and more information on what you as an employer should know.

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