If you are wondering what to do when a potential employee has a criminal record, then here are a few things that you need to consider. It is unfortunate fact that approximately 30% of all potential employees exaggerate or flat out lie on their CV’s. This is especially true if the individual has a criminal record that they do not want you to know about.
However, there are tools that you can use in order to determine if a potential employee is hiding something from you before you hire them. It is important also to note that there may be certain costs involved in checking someone’s criminal record, however this cost is worth it should you find something potentially dangerous on their records.
Organisations that specialise in employee criminal record checking, have stated that doing a background check on an employee is essential to ensuring a safe workplace for other staff as well as for those individuals hiring domestic workers. The reason being that it has been shown that many people that have a criminal record, are repeat offenders and their offences range from assault, to theft and most common of all are traffic road offences. These organisations also warn against using the Internet as a free way to investigate and search for possible infringements as some information may not be available. Therefore, these organisations have specialised techniques that scan criminal databases in order to provide clearance on a job applicant.
With that said, if you find that a potential employee does actually have something against their name and you are wondering what to do when a potential employee has a criminal record, then here is some advice for you. You need to take into consideration the following:
- The severity of the criminal act
If for example you are looking to hire a nannie or babysitter and your discover that the applicant is a repeat offender of child abuse or sexual assault, then preserving the safety of your child is paramount. Therefore this candidate has no right to be in your home or around your children. If however the applicant stole a chocolate from a store once and it happened when they were a minor, then I think said person could be forgiven as we all do silly things like that when we are young. Another example could be hiring a convicted rapist to work at as a boarder master at an all girls school. This kind of situation could mean life or death in some situations and therefore it is imperative that the severity of the act is taken in to consideration.
- How long ago the criminal act took place
Although it is possible to clear your criminal record if the incidence occurred when the potential employee was a minor, many people do not get their records cleared. Therefore they are being denied jobs because of something that they did when they were considered a child. It is also important to realise that people make mistakes and sometimes they get a harsher punishment then they deserve which could tarnish their criminal record.
Although everyone would like to hire people without criminal records, you have to understand that these people may have made a mistake in their past and that that mistake is stopping them from becoming a decent citizen of the country. You are well within your rights to check someones records, but then you should also consider the factors involved before denying them the position. If you evaluate the situation and do not see a threat because of their record, then go ahead and give them a chance as not everyone is perfect.