For jobs in any higher end setting, security jobs, live in nannies, hotel setting, government office, law enforcement, working with minors (teaching, being a scout leader, day care, community centre work), working with elderly people, working with disabled persons, as well as working in a medical or psychological setting, to name only a handful, the applicant is often are required to take have a basic background check done.
Background checks as part of the employment process is turning out to be more and more popular for all types of jobs, from carpentry to working in the fast food industry. These background checks are becoming increasingly important, the simplest reason being to confirm a candidates honesty in their application, other important reasons to perform a background check on potential employees are:
Criminal records, Arrest records, and Sexual Offence Records
The employer has the right to know of any serious theft, break-in, assault, or vandalism, any and all types of sexual offence records, arrests for Driving Under the Influence, drug trafficking, illegal use of narcotics, and many other criminal records, arrest record, and sexual offence record types.
- Psychological and Physical EvaluationHelps to determine if the candidate is suitable for the work required of them.
- Financial Records
- Credit Scores, Bankruptcy
- Education Records
- To confirm the potential employee has the required education.
- Driving Records
- Important to know if driving a company vehicle, under company vehicle insurance, or for hiring delivery persons
- Citizenship
- To confirm both legal residency and working permit(s)
While there is still much controversy over background checks, there is also an acceptance towards them. Many employers are using their common sense towards hiring someone who is honest about their background, especially if it is only, for example, a minor criminal charge that happened more than 10 years ago.
With background checks in common work settings, employers should be selective about what they are looking for in a background check, as the applicant may find certain things discriminating, especially if the employer does not hire someone based on ethnic background, psychological, physical, education level, and even financial problems.
Performing a pre-employment background check, it is suggested, is the safest route to follow, employees who have already been hired by you or your company should not have to undergo a background check. If the employer would like to perform a background check on an applicant, they must be up-front about it and have the applicants prior consent.
Please note: These are written as suggestions, not a legal document, you must check with your Government’s Legal Office to confirm what type of background checks are legal in your area. You must also contact your Government’s Legal Office to obtain the correct paper-work and information about background checks in your area.