As of April 2, the process began for Lab employees hired since July 2007 to undergo fingerprint-based background checks to comply with state law, but a plan to fingerprint employees hired before that date has been suspended for now.

After the Faculty Association filed a grievance over a proposed mandatory fingerprint-based background check for all employees, Lab Schools Director Charlie Abelmann decided to suspend the plan to fingerprint those hired before July 1, 2007.

The current contract for faculty ends at the end of the 2018-19 academic year, so the administration and the FA will begin negotiating during the next school year, FA President Jim Catlett said. If the administration still intends to implement the fingerprint-based background check for all faculty and staff, it would be negotiated then.

The updated security policy, initially communicated to the faculty and staff by Dr. Abelmann, was intended to innovate the Lab School’s security policy and to utilize best practice, Dr. Abelmann said. Although, after facing criticism from the FA on behalf of the Lab faculty, the administration’s plan will not be immediately implemented.

Current practice is that before being hired all employees must undergo a criminal background check, which includes a check of the sex offender database.