One of the best ways of earning a bit of extra cash in the run-up to the festive period is by getting temporary work with the mail service, either sorting post in a large depot, or delivering mail to customers. If you're looking to do this sort of work, even on a temporary basis, you will typically need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of the hiring process.
Levels of DBS Checks
There are three main types of DBS checks: Basic, Standard and Enhanced.
Standard and Enhanced checks are more detailed, and only apply to people working in certain positions which involved contact with children or vulnerable adults, or working in positions of trust in financial services, the justice system or similar. A basic DBS check is a statement of someone’s current and unspent criminal record only, and is not restricted to any particular type of occupation – anyone can get one.
For postal workers, a Basic DBS check is typically required, unless you are involved in higher security services, such as screening airmail which is destined to be sent overseas. The Basic DBS check only unspent criminal convictions and conditional cautions. This will show employers whether you have been in trouble in the past and your offences might call into question your honesty and suitability for the job. For example, the Royal Mail and other postal employers typically do not hire individuals with unspent convictions for crimes such as theft, fraud, or arson.
Spent Convictions
As a basic DBS check is only interested in unspent convictions, that means that convictions which are less serious, or happened a long time ago will be disregarded after a set period of time. This period varies according to the type of crime, length of sentence, and how old you were at the time of the offence. As a rough rule of thumb, minor convictions which just resulted as a fine or caution will be disregarded in a couple of years, something which saw you sent to prison for several years may never be considered spent. There is lots of information online to help you work out whether any past offences are spent or not.
Getting a DBS Check
If you have applied to work with the Royal Mail or a similar company, then you will typically be asked to have a DBS check after you are offered the job, but before your start date. A basic check can usually be processed quickly and shouldn’t hold up your start date too much. If you have worked for similar companies in previous festive periods then you might still be asked to get another DBS check for work this year. This is because the DBS certificate is just a statement of your record at a particular moment in time, and employers want to make sure that you haven’t been in trouble since you last had a basic check. In most cases, the employer will cover the cost of your check, or reimburse your costs when you start work.
