In the post-September 11th-era, Rhode Island began requiring job applicants in many fields to be fingerprinted as a condition of employment. But tightening budgets and staff cutbacks have led to huge fingerprinting backlogs in some of the larger communities - delaying some people's opportunity to work again. This week Jim Hummel finds that many officials were unaware of the problem until the Hummel Report brought it to their attention - and now they're beginning to do something about it.
The building has been totally refurbished – from the outside in.
And when it opens the Love 4 All Childcare Center – just a few blocks from Rhode Island Hospital - will provide daycare for 75 children.
More importantly, the owners are creating 19 brand new jobs, in a state where employment is hard to find. But there is one huge problem standing in the way.
``Most of them don’t have their fingerprints…’’
Mayra Khalil, with her husband, owns three other daycare centers in Rhode Island, including this one in South Providence. They have been preparing for months to open the new facility on Eddy Street.
But it remains vacant, stranding potential workers on the unemployment line – because several of the larger communities in the state are backlogged on fingerprinting – a requirement for daycare employees and many other professions in the post 9-11 Era. Mayra: ``Through DCYF regulations we cannot leave a person who has not been cleared for fingerprints by themselves with the children- which ultimately defeats the purpose. Why would I hire somebody that I cannot leave by themselves with children?’’ Michelle Colby is one of those waiting to start here at the daycare center. She’s on a 3-week waiting list in Pawtucket.
``I didn’t know fingerprinting would be such an issue. I lived in New York, it was a piece of cake. I was told you need fingerprinting. You walked down to the station, you got it done.’’ How bad is it?
The Hummel Report found the waiting list in Cranston - nearly four months. In Woonsocket, the first appointment available is the third week of January.
And Pawtucket is booking three to four weeks out.
The communities blame state cutbacks – and the fact they lose money most of the time because they are required to pay the FBI to register the prints, but by law are unable to charge the person being fingerprinted. Because of that most communities only allow their own residents to be processed.
Hummel: ``Because of the huge backlog in the larger communities of Rhode Island, many people whose only roadblock to getting a job is having their fingerprints taken, are now turning to the state police. ``For any position working with children or childcare it’s extremely important.’’
State Police Lt. Dennis Pincince says they book about two dozen appointments a week, sometimes more when the need is acute. ``People will call and say jeez we can’t get into our local police department. They’re telling us they’re six to eight weeks out, what are you people?’’ We usually tell them maybe we’re three to four weeks out.’’
The situation on the local level, though, may be changing…. Cranston, which only booked eight appointments a week until The Hummel Report began investigating, now says it will come up with a plan to relieve the backlog.
The chief in Pawtucket tells The Hummel Report, he’s making changes to confirm appointments a few days in advance, and fill cancellation slots – something the department has not been willing to do - until now.
Hummel: ``Nine out of the 19 people are just waiting. you have jobs for them? Mayra: I have jobs, once we open. Hummel: In a state that has one of the highest unemployment rates you are offering a job. Mayra: Exactly. Hummel: And they can’t get it, because of the fingerprinting.
``If the fingerprinting was not an issue where would that leave you right now? Mayra: We’d be open and we’d have a lot of people operating in our program.’’
