Frequently Asked Questions
Children and Youth Safety – Frequently Asked Questions
Registration |
| Do I need to register my academic year program each year or each semester? Yes, programs must be registered each academic year. |
Background Checks |
| Does HR conduct the criminal background check and sex offender search for employees, including student employees? Yes. |
| How often does a criminal background check need to be conducted on regular Cornell employees? Every three years |
| How often does a student (not a student employee) or volunteer need a criminal background check? Once a year (annually). |
| How often does a criminal background check need to be conducted on returning temporary or student employees? Returning temporary and student employees are considered new hires. If their last background check is more than six months old, HR must conduct a new criminal background check. |
| Do I require a background check and sex offender registry search if I’m just hosting a field trip? If parents, guardians, teachers, or other chaperones are responsible for supervising the minor(s), a background check and sex offender registry search are not required. However, other requirements may still apply, depending on the nature of the field trip and your level of interaction with the minors. For guidance on what those additional requirements might be, please contact the Children and Youth Safety Office. |
Training and Standards of Behavior |
| How often must training and standards of behavior be completed? Once a year (annually). |
Supervision |
| Must a minor be supervised at all times? Yes. |
Minors in Labs |
| Can minors volunteer in labs? No. However, paid and unpaid minor interns may work in labs. |
Consent or Assumption of Risk |
| Is a consent or assumption of risk form required for all programs? Please contact the Children and Youth Safety Office. They will determine whether a consent or assumption of risk form is required. |
Minors Traveling |
| Can a minor travel in a Cornell University-owned or leased vehicle? Please contact Risk Management and Insurance (RMI). They will determine if the minor is permitted to travel in a Cornell-owned or leased vehicle. |
Internships Involving Minors |
| Who can supervise a minor paid/unpaid intern? Cornell University faculty, staff, and graduate students. Undergraduate students and volunteers are not permitted to supervise minor interns. |
| Do minors participating in a paid/unpaid internship require working papers? Yes. The original working papers must be collected and returned to the minor at the end of the internship. |
| Is a minor participating in a paid/unpaid internship allowed in the lab without an approved authorized adult? No. Minors may only be in the lab when an approved authorized adult is present. |