Virginia Law

A. Section 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia requires hospice providers, as defined in § 32.1-162.1 of the Code of Virginia, to obtain a criminal record report on applicants for compensated employment from the Virginia Department of State Police. Section 32.1-162.9:1 also requires that all applicants for compensated employment in a hospice program provide a sworn statement regarding their criminal history.

B. The criminal record report shall be obtained within 30 days of compensated employment. It is the hospice program's responsibility to ensure that its compensated employees have not been convicted of any of the barrier crimes listed in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia.

C. The hospice program shall not accept a criminal record report dated more than 90 days prior to the date of compensated employment.

D. Only the original criminal record report shall be accepted. An exception is permitted for hospice programs using temporary staffing agencies for the provision of substitute staff. The hospice program shall obtain a letter from the temporary staffing agency containing the following information:

1. The name of the substitute staffing person;

2. The date of employment by the temporary staffing agency; and

3. A statement verifying that the criminal record report has been obtained within 30 days of employment, is on file at the temporary staffing agency, and does not contain any barrier crimes listed in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia.

E. A criminal record report remains valid as long as the compensated employee remains in continuous service with the same hospice program.

F. A new criminal record report shall be required when an individual terminates compensated employment at one hospice program and begins compensated employment at another hospice program. The following exceptions are permitted:

1. When an employee transfers, within 30 days, to a hospice program owned and operated by the same entity. The employee's file shall contain a statement indicating that the original criminal record report has been transferred or forwarded to the new work location.

2. A criminal record report for an individual who takes a leave of absence will remain valid as long as the period of separation does not exceed six consecutive months. If a period of six consecutive months has passed, a new criminal record report and sworn disclosure statement are required.

G. The sworn disclosure statement shall be completed by all applicants for compensated employment. The sworn disclosure statement shall be attached to and filed with the criminal record report.

H. Any applicant denied compensated employment because of convictions appearing on his criminal record report shall be provided a copy of the report by the hiring hospice program.

I. All criminal records reports shall be confidential and maintained in locked files accessible only to the administrator or designee.

J. Further dissemination of the criminal record report and sworn disclosure statement information is prohibited other than to the commissioner's representative or a federal or state authority or court as may be required to comply with an express requirement of law for such further dissemination.