Florida statute 435.04 defines a level 2 background check as “a security background investigation where a potential employee is required to submit fingerprints to be screened through state law enforcement agencies, as well as national criminal history records.”
Ideally, a level 2 background check is a very in-depth report that extensively analyzes both state and national registries. A Level 2 background check is a peculiar type of fingerprint background check normally reserved for candidates seeking jobs that involve working with vulnerable persons, such as children, people with disabilities, and seniors.
This type of background check is also often required for volunteer positions at schools, daycares, and senior centers as well as for paid personnel. They are also often necessary for adults seeking to adopt or become foster parents.
A Level 2 background check runs applicants against databases of information on arrests, convictions, and incarceration related to violent behavior and crimes against children and other vulnerable persons. It will uncover certain high-profile records that have been sealed by courts, including juvenile convictions and detention.
Employers carrying out Level 2 Background Checks tend to comply with the requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. To carry out a level 2 background check in Florida, the candidate will first need to submit to fingerprinting by an accepted law enforcement agency.
After that, an agent will run the prints against the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). Note that this is a digital database of fingerprints that numerous law enforcement agencies have compiled. The data available on the IACIS database covers both criminal and non-criminal matters.
How Far Back Does a Level 2 Background Check Go in Florida?
There is no limit to how far back the check can go when searching for convictions on a national database. However, there are stipulated restrictions in place to help protect the individual if they are in recovery and also provide them equal opportunities.
What Information Does A Level 2 Background Check Include?
According to experts, level 2 background checks tend to focus on disqualifying offenses that make an employee not fit for a position of responsibility or trust. The vital pieces of information that a level 2 background check provides are:
Table of Contents
Criminal Records
Have it in mind that a Level2 Background Check will take a more concise look into the candidates’ records. The criminal information included in a level 2 background check will be more in-depth than the criminal information included in a level 1 background check.
It will look into specific crimes like manslaughter, kidnapping, patient abuse, child abuse, and any other offense related to hurting a vulnerable person. It will provide details that include;
- Charging information
- Date the case was filed
- Disposition of the case
- Disposition date
- Level of the offense (misdemeanor or felony)
- Sentencing information
Court Records
A level 2 background check will reveal necessary court records that have been sealed. In the state of Florida, this will include juvenile convictions and detention; howbeit, it won’t uncover expunged records.
Education and Credentials Verification
Most employers who run level 2 background checks also want to verify the education history and credentials of the applicant. This will show any academic institution they have attended. It will include information about each institution he or she received and whether the applicant earned the degrees and credentials that the positions require.
Past Employment Verification
A level 2 background check will also provide information about a candidate’s past employment. Details included are the employment dates for each job and how long the applicants held the positions.
Past Employment Verification
A level 2 background check can also give information about a candidate’s past employment. This will include dates of employment at each job in addition to the different positions that the applicant held at each one. This type of information tends to help employers or organizations make sure that the applicants are qualified and reliable enough while also protecting them from liability.
Common Florida Level 2 Background Check Disqualifying Offenses
Just as it was noted earlier, level 2 background checks tend to focus on disqualifying offenses that make an employee not fit for a position of responsibility or trust. Below are some of the most common disqualifying offenses found in level 2 background checks.
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Vehicular Homicide
- Felony Assault and or Battery
- Elder abuse or neglect
- Fraud and other financial crimes (Common in jobs handling money)
- Crimes Against Children or the Elderly
- Sex Offender Registry Placement
- Violent Crimes and Convictions
- White Collar Criminal Activity and Convictions (embezzlement, fraud, etc.)
- Felonies and some Misdemeanors
Conclusion
A Level 2 Background Check covers a search of fingerprint-based information, and national criminal history records, coupled with county criminal records. Since Florida is the only state in the United States with a properly stipulated provision for Level 2 Background Check, only employees in the State are subject to the pre-screening system.