FDOC Application Checklist: Key Questions and Requirements Family Members Should Know Before Applying (for positions that could be at Hamilton Correctional Facility)

Two paperwork basics tend to catch people off guard. First, Florida requires all new state employees to use direct deposit. Your family member should be ready to answer "yes" to direct deposit and have their bank information handy. Second, the application asks about Florida Retirement System (FRS) history. If the applicant has received monthly FRS benefits or taken a distribution under the FRS Investment Plan or optional non-FRS plans, they'll need to complete an FRS New Employee Certification Form. Sort this out before submitting - it'll prevent delays later.

FDOC runs a fingerprint-based record check on all applicants. By submitting fingerprints, the applicant authorizes FDOC to receive any Florida and national criminal history records that pertain to them. Here's what happens after the prints are taken: they're retained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the FBI until employment separation. If there are subsequent arrests, FDLE and the FBI will notify the agency based on those retained fingerprints.

If your family member believes their record is incomplete or inaccurate, they can request a personal review. For Florida records, contact FDLE at (850) 410-7898. For national records, contact the FBI at (304) 625-2000.

• ✓ Expect a fingerprint-based criminal-history check and be ready to authorize a search of Florida and national records.
• ✓ Know that fingerprints are retained by FDLE and the FBI until employment separation.
• ✓ Understand that subsequent arrests can trigger a notification (“records hit”) to the agency.
• ✓ Keep the record-review contacts handy in case something is wrong: FDLE (850) 410-7898 and FBI (304) 625-2000.
• ✓ If the applicant believes their record is incomplete or inaccurate, request a personal review using the contact information provided.

FDOC applications include direct questions about gangs and "threat groups." The applicant may be asked whether they have any gang- or threat-group–related tattoos (or tattoos that could appear related). A "yes" answer requires an explanation. They may also be asked about current or past affiliations with known gangs or threat groups, with a requirement to describe the circumstances in detail. If anything in their history could be read that way, it's better to prepare a clear, honest explanation upfront than to scramble for details under pressure.

Expect PREA-related screening questions that are specific and serious. The application may ask whether the person has engaged in sexual abuse in an institutional setting - including prisons, jails, lockups, community confinement facilities, juvenile facilities, or other institutions - as defined in federal law. It may also ask about convictions and civil or administrative adjudications for sexual activity involving force, threats, coercion, or situations where the victim didn't consent or couldn't consent or refuse. These questions are designed to surface disqualifying conduct. The best help you can give is encouraging complete, truthful answers that match the definitions on the form.

Some questions address whether the applicant can meet ongoing job expectations. They may be asked if they're willing to submit to an annual tuberculosis (TB) test. They may also be asked whether they'll work overtime or report to duty during natural disasters or emergencies if the position is designated as essential. Confidentiality is treated as a condition of employment: the applicant agrees to keep information confidential and acknowledges that failure to do so can lead to discipline, up to and including termination.

FDOC asks about potential conflicts and connections. The applicant may need to notify their supervisor or warden about any outside employment while working at FDOC. They may also be asked whether they're related to anyone currently employed by FDOC. If yes, they'll need to provide the relative's name, their relationship, and where the relative works.

The application includes signing an agreement to release information. The applicant authorizes the release of information pertaining to them (excluding records deemed confidential under the ADA) for use in their FDOC employment application. If hired, documents obtained through that release go into the employee's personnel file and are treated as public records under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. That's a significant privacy consideration - read this section carefully and be thoughtful about what's provided and how it's described.

• ✓ Confirm the applicant is willing to use direct deposit for payroll warrants.
• ✓ Plan for fingerprinting and a fingerprint-based search of Florida and national criminal history records.
• ✓ Remember fingerprints are retained by FDLE and the FBI until employment separation, and later arrests can trigger a notification to the agency.
• ✓ Save the record-review contacts in case there’s an error: FDLE (850) 410-7898 and FBI (304) 625-2000.
• ✓ If there are tattoos that could be seen as gang/threat-group related, be ready to explain them clearly.
• ✓ Be prepared to answer PREA-related questions about sexual abuse in institutional settings.
• ✓ Answer every disclosure question honestly and completely - especially where the form requires a detailed explanation.
• ✓ If there’s prior FRS benefit/distribution history, complete the FRS New Employee Certification Form.