Wilkes University is committed to providing a safe and secure learning and work environment. To help ensure the safety of our students, employees, visitors and volunteers, the University requires all employees to report any post-employment criminal arrests or convictions or if they are listed as a perpetrator in the Statewide database to the head of the Human Resources Department or his/her designee within 72 hours of the event.
Policy
For this purpose, the term “conviction” shall include, without limitation, summary offenses (including non-traffic offenses such as harassment and disorderly conduct) and predisposition alternatives to conviction (such as Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition in Pennsylvania, and similar alternatives in other states). In addition to this requirement:
- Employees who operate a motor vehicle as part of their regularly assigned job responsibilities must also report motor vehicle related violations to the head of the Human Resources department within 72 hours of occurrence.
- Employees holding an unexpired Protection from Abuse (P.F.A.) order as a victim or perpetrator must report such an order to the University’s Chief of Police as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than 72 hours of its issuance.
- Adjunct faculty with a break in service for greater than 13 months must complete a background check when they return. Adjunct faculty with a less than 13 month break in service must disclose any criminal convictions that occurred during the break within 72 hours of returning to university employment.
- Managers who become aware that an employee is listed as a perpetrator in the Statewide database or that an employee has been arrested for or convicted of a crime or motor vehicle related violation must report this information to the head of the Human Resources department immediately.
- For purposes of this policy the term “post-employment” refers to criminal arrests or convictions or being listed as a perpetrator in the Statewide database after an employee is formally offered and accepts an employment offer but has not yet reported to work.
Upon learning that an employee was named a perpetrator on the Statewide database or was arrested for or convicted of a crime or motor vehicle related violation as noted above, the University, in its sole discretion will review the circumstances to determine if the:
- employee poses an unreasonable safety risk to the University community;
- employee’s conduct would be inconsistent with the employee’s assigned job duties and/or access to University resources or facilities
- employee’s involvement in said event could be damaging to the University’s reputation.
Following this review, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Failure to comply with this policy may also result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
This policy applies to information reported directly to the University or identified through any other means.
Approved: March 2025