If you’ve applied for a new job, it can come as a bit of a shock when the recruiter casually drops into the conversation that they will be carrying out an employment screening process. Most of us have heard the term, and many of us think we know what it means. The concept of having your references checked for accuracy, or being asked to prove we hold certain qualifications is nothing new. The DBS criminal records check, which replaced the CRB check around 10 years ago, is also well known and applying for a DBS check is a standard part of many job applications. But what else should you expect from the process? There are lots of half-truths and misconceptions around, and we can dispel some of the most common rumours now.
1. Employers are not allowed to look at any candidate's social media presence.
If a candidate's social media profiles on sites like X/Twitter, Facebook or Instagram are open and not set to private or friends only, information from these platforms can be included in a background check. Any decision not to hire based on social media findings must be justified, but if an employer searches and finds evidence of drug-taking, other illegal activity, or interest in extremist views, they are well within their rights to reject your application.
2. Background checks can be conducted without the candidate's permission.
Conducting background checks without a candidate's consent is illegal in the UK. Companies have to let applicants know how their data will be stored and processed and tell them what sort of aspects of their background will be investigated.
3. Only large businesses are obligated to conduct background checks.
No company is legal obliged to run background checks at all, but many do as they realise the benefit of a bit of work to make sure they are not employing people who could adversely affect their business. There is more of an argument that smaller companies should be background checking, as one rogue employee could potentially do much more damage than a single worker in a large multinational with thousands of workers.
4. Employment checks should be the same for all roles.
Different roles mean different checks, based on the level of responsibility or the risk associated with someone being not what they seem. In general, the higher the level of responsibility within the company, the higher the level of background checking a worker will go through. Background checks should only be conducted for eligible roles.
5. Criminal record checks are legally required in all industry sectors.
The need for criminal record checks varies by industry. While not obligatory across all sectors, many employers have the discretion to decide whether to hire individuals with a criminal record, or not. In some industries, such as banking, healthcare or education, companies need a written safeguarding policy which details their approach to criminal records checking. In higher level positions in these sectors, people with any sort of criminal record may be blocked from employment.
