Purpose

Perfect Game is committed to the safety of all individuals who participate in its programs or events, including without limitation minors and vulnerable adults. To help protect these individuals, Perfect Game requires that anyone who wants to volunteer with or become an employee of Perfect Game or participate in a Perfect Game event or program, undergo a criminal background check and sex offender registries. This Policy contains information about Perfect Game’s background check program and describes the process used by Perfect Game to evaluate criminal background checks.

Policy Statement

I. Application

• This policy applies to the following individuals (collectively, the “Subjects”):
  • Perfect Game employees and individuals Perfect Game formally authorizes, approves, or appoints to (a) serve in a position of authority over or (b) have regular contact with athletes.
  • Coaches, assistant coaches, or personal care assistants who are funded, have a contractual obligation with, or are credentialed by Perfect Game, or otherwise have regular contact with Perfect Game athletes. Any other individuals considered “Adult Participants.”
  • All athletes and alternates, training partners, and guides 18 years of age or older who are selected by Perfect Game to participate in Perfect Game Events. Individuals referenced in this subsection shall have 45 days after reaching the age of majority to come into compliance with this background check policy. A “Perfect Game Event” is any Perfect Game sanctioned activity.
  • Individuals who have regular contact with athletes at Perfect Game Training Sites. A “Perfect Game” Site is any facility/location that is formally affiliated with Perfect Game and used by Perfect Game or its athletes for competitions and/or training, recovery, or coaching purposes.
  • Other individuals who have regular contact with athletes, or who have one-on-one access to athletes, as determined by Perfect Game, in its discretion.

II. Timing

• A criminal background check covering a Subject utilizing the background check components set forth in Section VII (“Background Check Components”) will be completed prior to the Subject’s commencement of a new role at Perfect Game, or prior to the Subject’s participation in a Perfect Game Event. Thereafter, a criminal background check covering a Subject utilizing the Background Check Components will be conducted every two years for as long as that individual qualifies as a Subject.

III. Perfect Game Sites

• Perfect Game Sites will require criminal background checks that utilize search components set forth in Section VI (“Background Check Components”) for individuals the Perfect Game Sites formally authorize, approve or appoint (a) to serve in a position of authority over athletes, or (b) to have regular contact with athletes. Upon Perfect Game’s request, the Perfect Game Sites must provide certifications to establish that the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with this Policy. For purposes of clarification, a Perfect Game Site shall be regarded as having formally authorized, approved or appointed an individual in instances where the Perfect Game Site has control over the authorization, approval or appointment process.

IV. Media

• Individuals affiliated with the media, who are authorized or credentialed by Perfect Game to access a Perfect Game Site or attend a Perfect Game Event, and may have unsupervised one-on-one interactions with athletes, will be required to undergo a criminal background check utilizing the Background Check Components.

V. Third-Party Vendors/Contractors

• Contracts with third-party vendors/contractors that are (a) in a position of authority over or (b) in regular contact with athletes must include the background check requirements set forth in this Policy. The contracts shall also specify that certification must be provided by the vendor/contractor upon request by Perfect Game to establish the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with this Policy.

VI. Partner Programs

• When partnering with community organizations for events, Perfect Game shall ensure that the partnership agreements include language regarding background check requirements. The agreements shall also specify that certification must be provided by the community organization upon request by Perfect Game to establish that the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with this Policy.

VII. Background Check Search Components

• Social Security Number validation;
• Name and address history records;
• Multiple independent Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal Database searches covering 50 states plus DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico;
• County Criminal Records for each name used and county where the individual currently lives or has lived during the past seven years, going back the length of time records are available and reportable for each county searched;
• Multiple Sex Offender Registry database searches of all available states, plus DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico;
• Multiple National Watch Lists;
• SafeSport Disciplinary Records;
• Comprehensive International Records search for individuals who have lived outside of the United States for six consecutive months in any one country, during the past seven years; and
• Professional License/Certification Verification for certain medical roles.

VIII. Eligibility Determinations

• Perfect Game Background Checks: Any criminal background check that is obtained pursuant to the terms of this Policy that results in a report of a disposition or resolution of a criminal proceeding, other than an adjudication of not guilty, for any of the criminal offenses outlined in Perfect Game’s Adjudication Matrix will be subject to Perfect Game’s policies and procedures to determine eligibility. A link to the Adjudication Matrix can be found here: AdjudicationMatrix.pdf

IX. Background Check Process

• When a criminal background check is obtained, Perfect Game will evaluate the results of that criminal background check pursuant to Perfect Game’s policies and procedures to determine whether the Subject receives a “declined” or a “cleared” status.
• If a Subject receives a cleared status, the criminal background check results did not contain information that disqualifies the Subject from working with or for Perfect Game, or participating in a Perfect Game Event.
• If a Subject receives a declined status, the criminal background check results did contain information that disqualifies the Subject from working with or for Perfect Game, or participating in a Perfect Game Event.
• If a criminal background check results in a declined status, then the Subject who has received that declined status may be able to appeal Perfect Game’s determination by filing a grievance pursuant to Perfect Game Background Check Appeals Process, which can be found here: BackgroundCheckAppealsPolicy.pdf.