Alabama Nursing Home Employee Background Checks: Safety on the Line
- Sawyer Firm
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
A recent audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed a serious gap in oversight in Alabama nursing homes. Between January 2022 and April 2024, the State failed to ensure that all nursing home employees received required background checks and registry screenings before beginning work. Out of 439 employees sampled, 139 (nearly one-third) lacked compliant vetting.
This isn’t just a matter of bureaucratic oversight. These residents and their families have every right to expect that the people caring for them have been properly screened. Background checks for Alabama nursing home employees aren’t optional paperwork. They are a first line of defense against abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
For JP Sawyer, this audit confirms what he often sees in his legal work.
"When even basic safety protocols like background checks aren’t consistently enforced, residents are put at unjustifiable risk."
JP has spent his career advocating for families after the unthinkable happens - falls, injuries, medication errors, or worse - often caused by improperly trained or unsupervised staff. What the audit reveals is that, in many cases, those staff members may never have been properly cleared to work in the first place. His approach to these situations is always rooted in advocacy.
Accountability: Unchecked staff aren’t just policy failures, they’re potential sources of harm and the law should reflect that.
Trust: Residents and their families trust these institutions with their health and well-being. That trust demands thorough vetting and oversight.
The OIG’s Recommendations are Clear
Alabama must develop systems to verify background checks and registry queries are completed before work begins.
Educate nursing homes about these requirements.
Require facilities to create and follow written policies for compliance.
Conduct regular audits to ensure adherence.
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