The Florida Senate

400.953  Background screening of home medical equipment provider personnel.--The agency shall require employment screening as provided in chapter 435, using the level 1 standards for screening set forth in that chapter, for home medical equipment provider personnel.

(1)  The agency may grant exemptions from disqualification from employment under this section as provided in s. 435.07.

(2)  The general manager of each home medical equipment provider must sign an affidavit annually, under penalty of perjury, stating that all home medical equipment provider personnel hired on or after July 1, 1999, who enter the home of a patient in the capacity of their employment have been screened and that its remaining personnel have worked for the home medical equipment provider continuously since before July 1, 1999.

(3)  Proof of compliance with the screening requirements of s. 110.1127, s. 393.0655, s. 394.4572, s. 397.451, s. 402.305, s. 402.313, s. 409.175, s. 464.008, or s. 985.407 or this part must be accepted in lieu of the requirements of this section if the person has been continuously employed in the same type of occupation for which he or she is seeking employment without a breach in service that exceeds 180 days, the proof of compliance is not more than 2 years old, and the person has been screened by the Department of Law Enforcement. An employer or contractor shall directly provide proof of compliance to another employer or contractor, and a potential employer or contractor may not accept any proof of compliance directly from the person requiring screening. Proof of compliance with the screening requirements of this section shall be provided, upon request, to the person screened by the home medical equipment provider.

(4)  There is no monetary liability on the part of, and no cause of action for damages arising against, a licensed home medical equipment provider that, upon notice that an employee has been found guilty of, regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, any offense prohibited under s. 435.03 or under any similar statute of another jurisdiction, terminates the employee, whether or not the employee has filed for an exemption with the agency and whether or not the time for filing has expired.

(5)  The costs of processing the statewide correspondence criminal records checks must be borne by the home medical equipment provider or by the person being screened, at the discretion of the home medical equipment provider.

(6)  Neither the agency nor the home medical equipment provider may use the criminal records or juvenile records of a person for any purpose other than determining whether that person meets minimum standards of good moral character for home medical equipment provider personnel.

(7)(a)  It is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, for any person willfully, knowingly, or intentionally to:

1.  Fail, by false statement, misrepresentation, impersonation, or other fraudulent means, to disclose in any application for paid employment a material fact used in making a determination as to the person's qualifications to be an employee under this section;

2.  Operate or attempt to operate an entity licensed under this part with persons who do not meet the minimum standards for good moral character as contained in this section; or

3.  Use information from the criminal records obtained under this section for any purpose other than screening that person for employment as specified in this section, or release such information to any other person for any purpose other than screening for employment under this section.

(b)  It is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, for any person willfully, knowingly, or intentionally to use information from the juvenile records of a person obtained under this section for any purpose other than screening for employment under this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 99-189; s. 90, ch. 2000-349.