background check -- working with children?

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

I know someone who is very against background checks of any kind. He says it's a violation of privacy. My concern is he works with children as a martial arts instructor at a certain organization and has somehow managed to work there without having a check done. I know other employees have to undergo a check. He said if they force him to do this, he will quit but he's somehow managed to fly under the radar screen and nobody has asked him to do one. I was wondering if anyone knows if undergoing a check is the law in NJ in order to work with kids? Thanks.

Ummmm yes and if you know anything that may hurt any of these children you need to get off of here and call your local police station. It worries me that you say hes flying under the radar. And even more that he will quit if they make him do one.

Here is some legal advice. If you know anything that make you an accomplice to whatever he has done. make the right phone calls now.

d8ddysgirl said:

Here is some legal advice. If you know anything that make you an accomplice to whatever he has done. make the right phone calls now.

Click to expand...

While good moral advice, that's really crappy legal advice.

I was wondering if anyone knows if undergoing a check is the law in NJ in order to work with kids? I can't tell you for sure but in this venue, probably not. It might be different if this were a daycare provider, teacher, etc. In other words, any laws likely only apply if licensing is involved.

IF this guy has some sort of criminal background that is relevant to the type of work he does (the worst case scenario is that he's a pedophile), harms a child, and the employer failed to do a routine reference/background check which would have uncovered this and would have prevented the employer from hiring the individual, the employer would very likely be facing a huge lawsuit for negligence.

CGA, it's possible this guy is an upstanding citizen who just has his own opinion on the subject. It's also entirely possible he has a reason he doesn't want an employer to do a background check on him. The worrisome problem is, of course, that nobody knows. I can only suggest that if you are aware of anything in his past that may result in the children he instructs being at risk, you should say something to his employer - at least to urge them to check references and conviction record.