When it comes to protecting children, youth, and vulnerable populations, one of the biggest mistakes organizations make is treating volunteers as “less risky” than employees. The truth is simple: predators don’t care if they’re paid or unpaid.
Whether you’re a church, camp, school, sports league, or nonprofit, both employees and volunteers deserve the same careful background checks and training. Here’s why.
Legal and Compliance Considerations
Employees must go through FCRA-compliant background checks, including disclosure, written authorization, and adverse action steps.
Volunteers may not always fall under FCRA technically, but most insurers and courts expect the same level of diligence.
👉 Bottom line: Holding volunteers to a lower standard can leave your organization exposed.
Scope of Responsibility
Employees usually have job descriptions and HR oversight.
Volunteers may not — yet they can work in childcare, transportation, financial handling, or student ministry roles.
👉 Bottom line: Responsibility is about access and authority, not payroll.
Liability and Risk
Courts and insurance carriers rarely distinguish between misconduct by an employee or a volunteer.
A single incident can lead to lawsuits, settlements, and reputational damage.
👉 Bottom line: Risk is the same — and so should your screening.
Best Practices for Screening
At SecureSearch, we recommend applying the same checks for both groups:
Multi-State Criminal Database (with alias names)
County/Statewide courthouse searches (7 years of address history)
National Sex Offender Registry
Federal Courts Search (fraud, trafficking, internet crimes)
Motor Vehicle Record (when driving is involved)
The Power of 2: Screening + Training
Even the best background check won’t catch everything, because many abusers never face charges. That’s why pairing background checks with annual abuse prevention training (via Safeguard from Abuse) creates the strongest protection.
We call this the Power of 2 pillars of protection.
Quick Comparison Chart
| Category | Employees | Volunteers | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal | FCRA applies | Not always legally mandated, but best practice is same | Use FCRA process for both |
| Oversight | HR policies and reviews | Often informal, but same responsibilities | Lack of pay ≠ lack of responsibility |
| Risk | Lawsuits, PR, insurance impact | Same consequences | Risk is identical |
| Best Practice | Full 7-year, alias, federal, MVR | Same | Equal diligence is essential |
| Training | Annual abuse prevention | Annual abuse prevention | Screening + Training = Power of 2 |
Final Word
Your volunteers are the heart of your mission. But they’re also trusted adults with real access to children and vulnerable people. Screening and training them just as you would employees isn’t optional — it’s Best Practice.
Ready to Protect Your Organization?
SecureSearch has been helping nonprofits, churches, camps, and youth sports organizations protect their people for over 20 years. Let us show you how affordable, paperless background checks — combined with online abuse prevention training — can give you peace of mind.