(a) (Reserved).

(b) (Reserved).

(c) (Reserved).

(d) (Reserved).

(e) Noninterference with decisions.--Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to otherwise interfere with the ability of an employer or person responsible for a program, activity or service to make employment, discipline or termination decisions or from establishing additional standards as part of the hiring or selection process for employees or volunteers.

(f) Portability of certification.--

(1) Subject to the restrictions under section 6344(b.3) (relating to employees having contact with children; adoptive and foster parents), if an individual's certifications are current under section 6344.4 (relating to recertification) and the individual completes an affirmation under paragraph (2), the individual may use the certifications as follows:

(i) to apply for employment as identified in section 6344 (relating to employees having contact with children; adoptive and foster parents);

(ii) to serve as an employee as identified in section 6344;

(iii) to apply as a volunteer under section 6344.2 (relating to volunteers having contact with children); and

(iv) to serve as a volunteer under section 6344.2.

(2) Prior to commencing employment or service, an individual must swear or affirm in writing that the individual has not been disqualified from employment or service under section 6344(c) or has not been convicted of an offense similar in nature to a crime listed in section 6344(c) under the laws or former laws of the United States or one of its territories or possessions, another state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a foreign nation, or under a former law of this Commonwealth.

(3) An employer, administrator, supervisor, other person responsible for employment decisions or other person responsible for the selection of volunteers shall make a determination of employment or volunteer matters based on a review of the information required under section 6344(b) prior to employment or acceptance to service in any such capacity and must maintain a copy of the required information.

(g) Written notice of new arrest, conviction or substantiated child abuse.--

(1) If an employee or volunteer subject to section 6344 (relating to employees having contact with children; adoptive and foster parents) or 6344.2 (relating to volunteers having contact with children) is arrested for or convicted of an offense that would constitute grounds for denying employment or participation in a program, activity or service under this chapter, or is named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report, the employee or volunteer shall provide the administrator or designee with written notice not later than 72 hours after the arrest, conviction or notification that the person has been listed as a perpetrator in the Statewide database.

(2) If the person responsible for employment decisions or the administrator of a program, activity or service has a reasonable belief that an employee or volunteer was arrested or convicted for an offense that would constitute grounds for denying employment or participation in a program, activity or service under this chapter, or was named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report, or the employee or volunteer has provided notice as required under this section, the person responsible for employment decisions or administrator of a program, activity or service shall immediately require the employee or volunteer to submit current information as required under subsection 6344(b). The cost of the information set forth in subsection 6344(b) shall be borne by the employing entity or program, activity or service.

(h) Effect of noncompliance.--An employee or volunteer who willfully fails to disclose information required by subsection (g)(1) commits a misdemeanor of the third degree and shall be subject to discipline up to and including termination or denial of employment or volunteer position.

(Oct. 22, 2014, P.L.2529, No.153, eff. Dec. 31, 2014; July 1, 2015, P.L.94, No.15, eff. imd.)

2015 Amendment. Act 15 amended subsecs. (e) and (f).

2014 Amendment. Act 153 added section 6344.3.

Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 15 of Act 153 of 2014 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to study by Department of Human Services.

Cross References. Section 6344.3 is referred to in section 6340 of this title.