In 2009, it was discovered that a new anti-terror would affect more people than was ever expected. The law required that transportation workers must go through a background employment check. This new law affected an unsuspecting class of workers, called ‘mule skinners’. A mule skinner, as reported in an article from CNN, is one that walks alongside two mules that are pulling a boat along a canal. According to the park’s director, the boat reaches speeds of 2 miles per hour.
New Law Affects Anyone Holding Credentials Issued By The U.S. Coast Guard
The park’s director contacted their U.S. Representative, Charles Dent, about the issue. In response, he contacted the Transportation Security Administration requesting a waiver for the employees of the park. However, they referenced the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, which requires anyone holding credentials from the U.S. Coast Guard to obtain the Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC). To obtain these credentials requires that the park employees go through stringent background employment checks.
Representative To Work With Homeland Security Secretary
Dent has not given up the fight to reduce the regulations imposed for mule skinners. After hitting a brick wall with TSA, he spoke with the incoming Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, to work on a resolution. During his presentation, Dent showed a photo of two workers dressed in colonial wear walking alongside the mules with the boat in the background. The picture illustrated the requirement for the new cards for the mule skinners would be extreme and demonstrated how the rule has reached farther than its intended purpose of protecting the United States from attack. Following the presentation Napolitano stated she would work with Dent to come to a resolution on the issue.
Background Employment Checks Still Important For Any Employer
While the government mandated TWIC cards might be a little excessive, any employer would benefit from knowing their business, employees and visitors were safe from threats. Background employment checks provide a company with an extensive history on their employing including checking them against the national crime databases. AccuScreen has been performing background screening since 1994 and is a leader in the industry. Their reports are 100% guaranteed, and reports can be obtained right away, while others may take up to 72 hours, depending on the type of report and the individual being reviewed. Contact Accuscreen today and ensure the safety of your business!
