<p>First of all, the non-profit organization that I’m volunteering for is legit. I checked it out and they are registered with IRS. My problem is that I am in contact the founder of that organization, and she only gives me the address where to send the background check information, that’s it!</p>
<p>I called DOJ, FBI, local sheriff department, and the local live scan office. She also called them, and had given me instruction to call back the local sheriff and DOJ. I did, and the sheriff department won’t do background check, and even ask me if I’ve ever been to jail. Refer me back to DOJ. Now, I can’t speak to a human being calling the DOJ number. I really give up calling them.</p>
<p>Tried the FBI since I need only the fingerprint, not a live scan since it doesn’t apply to them. You know what they told me? If that organization doesn’t give you a form with their licensing code, it is a scam!</p>
<p>I’ve been spending so many hours calling for a background check, and this is driving me crazy, and I know that she probably doesn’t want me as a volunteer anymore, as I seem to give her more headaches than what its worth. </p>
<p>I volunteered for another tutoring program, and they took care of the background check online.</p>
<p>This is weird. You shouldn’t be doing your own background check - that’s something an employer does. It sounds like there’s something strange about this organization. Maybe it’s time to move on to another one.</p>
<p>Yes, it sounds very strange. The fact that this organization is registered with the IRS does not mean it does not engage in fishy practices. When my D was volunteering for a summer day camp, she was asked for a copy of her DL, filled out a form, and the organization handled the background check. Ditto the city where D worked as a swim instructor.</p>
<p>Why do you want to volunteer for this place so badly? There are so many places and organizations in need of help!</p>
<p>I would volunteer elsewhere if you have this much trouble trying to get a background check that THEY want. There are MANY other worth charities that could use your help. Being registered with the IRS just means they filled out the correct paperwork & mailed it to the IRS. It does NOT certify that they are fully copmlying with good and proper practices. Have never heard of an employee or volunteer having to secure his/her own background check. Have never had to do it as a volunteer or required any of our staff or volunteers to get their own background checks.</p>
<p>I’d volunteer elsewhere. This place sounds very odd to me.</p>
<p>Your situation does sound odd, but I had to get my own background check to volunteer with both our church and school district. State criminal records check, child abuse record check, the fingerprint scan (which is done at our local UPS store). So it is not that unusual to have to get those, but they both gave clear instructions to follow.</p>
<p>New school employee here. Almost of all this now is done by live scan process. You get a form with a licensing code. Take it to one of the police stations on a list they give you. Pay the fee and they send the results based on the code you provided. The system has become very standardized. Any legitimate non profit or public entity will give you their code and instructions.</p>
<p>Some time it is very difficult to clear this because if you have made something wrong ever , you will not go thorough with this.i dont know how can be the system better?</p>
<p>One of my current employers(college) uses Backgroundcheck.com for its employees. I have to pay for it but The information becomes mine and I’m given a card with a code that I can give to any potential employer that requires a background check.</p>
<p>Registering with the IRS is as simple as filling out an online form and getting an EIN. I would not equate “legitimate” with being registered with the IRS.</p>
<p>I would say either the non profit you are trying to volunteer at is fishy, or they are so disorganized that it is unlikely they can provide good value to those they are trying to help. Yes, some non profits where a background check is involved (usually but not limited to those involving kids, for obvious reasons) ask the volunteers to pay for it, but in my experience they usually have everything set up to make it easy on the person, either a firm that does background/fingerprint tests or law enforcement agencies that handle it, and others are correct, the group will usually have an electronic id with the place doing the check. And no, having an IRS number doesn’t mean anything, just means they have filed the paperwork and such to get a non profit tax id. There are laws governing non profits, they are required to have boards of directors on file, and they (at least here in NJ) have to register with the state I believe, if for anything else to be exempt from certain taxes, like sales taxes. If you are still curious about the charity, call the state AG’s office and ask them if they know anything about said firm, explain what happened in case they think it is fishy, or take a look on websites of groups that rate charities (I believe the BBB also handles non profits, but not sure). </p>
<p>In any event, sounds like something to steer clear of, non profits live and die by volunteers and if they make it that difficult to volunteer there doesn’t sound like a place you would want to give time to.</p>