Due to the rising cases of airport employees’ involvement in illegal activities such as drug and gun smuggling as well as ties to terror, more stringent measures will be taken in the US airports to have airport employees undergo a thorough background check.
Congress intends to put procedures in place to have airport employees undergo greater scrutiny before being hired that will include background screening as well as police and FBI background check. The employees will experience more background screening by the Transport Safety Authority. The check will not only be for passenger screeners but also for other employees working in the airport.
Special offenses that can cause employee not to access secured areas.
Special offense
To protect airport secured areas, airlines can access criminal history database from the FBI. If the background check shows that an employee has been convicted of any of the special offenses in the past 10 years, an employee cannot access those secured areas. These offenses include:
- Espionage, treason or sedition including conspiracy to commit any of the offense.
- Terrorism crime.
- A Transportation Security incident crime leading to loss of life, economic disruption, transport system disruption or environmental damage.
- Transporting hazardous material improperly.
- Dealing with explosive devices or explosives.
- Giving false information maliciously knowing its false about explosives or other devices that are lethal.
Disqualification from being issued with Commercial Drivers License or from holding Hazardous Materials Endorsement.
Crimes leading to disqualification
If an airport employee had been guilty due to insanity in the last 7 years, then that employee cannot transport hazardous materials. Other crimes that can disqualify the employee include having been in prison in the last five years due to attempting, committing or conspiring to commit these crimes. Entering a seaport unlawfully.
- Taking hostage or kidnapping.
- Assault intending to murder.
- Dealing with firearms or weapons.
- Aggravated sexual abuse or rape.
- Bribery
- Extortion
- Fraud, dishonesty or identity fraud
- Smuggling
- Bribery
- Robbery
- Arson
- Dealing with controlled substance.
Background checks for employees working in secure areas in airports.
Secure Identification Display Area employees background check
Employees working in the airport’s secure areas must go through TSA- Transport Security Administration background check in addition to local requirements. These employees will need a SIDA badge to access areas such as taxiways, baggage loading areas, boarding gages and runways, which they will be issued after going through the check. An applicant for the badge needs to provide their identification such as a permanent resident card or US passport.
- The screening detects if the employee has terrorist, federal or immigration warrant.
- The screening is also done using Terrorist screening database.
- To qualify for the badge, the employee must not have been convicted of the 28 disqualifying in the last 10 years including those cleared due to insanity.
- The badge applicants must pass airport’s background screening and fingerprint check.