Walkhome introduces criminal record check for all future employees

Service to operate through phone or app-based requests during remote term

Image by: Jodie Grieve
Walkhome is open to students as of this week.

All future Walkhome employees are now required to receive a criminal record check completed prior to employment.

The Ad-Hoc Committee formed by the AMS Board of Directors has made this change following the launch of the ‘AMSxposed’ Instagram page in August.

According to Jordan Nensi, chair of the AMS Board of Directors, all Walkhome employees hired after September 2020 will be required to provide a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters (CRJM) check to the AMS before the start of their employment terms.

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This check includes inquiry of any criminal convictions or findings of guilt under the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act, along with any absolute and conditional discharges, outstanding charges, arrest warrants, and certain judicial orders.

These checks are used in many places of employment as a precautionary measure for screening employees and volunteers.

The CRJM check can be requested through a municipal police service or the Ontario Provincial Police.

“Employees will be reimbursed for any nominal fee incurred while obtaining a CRJM check,” Nensi wrote in a statement to The Journal.

The Walkhome program will continue to operate on campus this term with some changes made to adapt for the remote communication requirements due to COVID-19 precautions.

“Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, Walkhome will be operating on a phone-request and/or app-request basis only for the remainder of the Fall term,” Nensi wrote.

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The user can access the app or make a phone call to Walkhome to initiate the process. The service will then dispatch two Walkhome staff members to meet the user at their location. The staff
will then walk the user to any location within the service’s extended boundaries.

To ensure the safety of the staff and Walkhome program users, all staff will be wearing masks and practicing physical distancing while on walks.

“The AMS also asks that all patrons do the same,” Nensi wrote.

Walkhome will continue to operate from Sunday to Wednesday, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Thursday to Saturday, 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

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Tags

AMS, AMS Board of Directors, Walkhome

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