Who would have thought a few years ago that come Spring 2020, many of us would be working from home? The pandemic has brought huge changes to the world of work. Pre-pandemic, working from home was something we did on the odd occasion, or perhaps on a Friday. The shift to employing people to work remotely has brought huge benefits to some employers, who have found that workers are just as productive at home as in the office, allowing them to cut costs on office rents. Going forward, it seems that home working is here to stay. But are there different rules around recruitment checks for home-based position?
Background Screening got Home Workers
There’s a degree of trust involved with employing someone to work at home. You have to be able to rely on the person to get on with their work, without a manager constantly looking over their shoulder. If it’s someone who has worked reliably in the office for years and who is now asking to work at home that is one thing but recruiting new members of staff to work at home is a different matter. Doing thorough background screening such as following up references and speaking to former employers, looking at their social media profile, verifying academic qualifications and looking at any gaps in their CV.
DBS Checks for Home Workers
Not every position requires a DBS check, and there is often no legal requirement for employers to run criminal records check on all new hires. However, many will choose to ask for a basic DBS check on all new employees to verify their current and unspent criminal convictions. In other situations, a DBS check is a legal requirement. This is especially the case for people working with children or vulnerable adults, or in regulated industries like banking or insurance. The law does not differentiate according to the working location of the person concerned. If the role requires an enhanced or standard DBS check, then that requirement applies whether the person is to be working in the office or at home.
Applying for your DBS Check
Wherever you will be working in your new role, the HR department of your new employer is the best place to start with getting advice on how to complete your DBS check. The process isn’t complicated but if you misunderstand the questions or miss out sections it could lead to your application being rejected, so always take care, and seek clarification if you need to. You will also be asked to verify your identity by either using the online identity verification through the government portal, or by providing originals of key documents to your employer.
Other Considerations for Home Working
Employers who recruit staff to work at home also have to adhere to other laws on things like data protection, and make sure that you have the technology to keep your work securely. Most employers will supply everything you need to do your job, without any expense to you.
