Criminal records
Depending on the role for which a candidate has applied, employers may need to find out whether or not the individual has any criminal convictions before he or she can start work.
Employers can check job applicants’ criminal records with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). HR departments normally deals with DBS disclosures.
Supreme Court rejects government appeal on criminal record checks
The Supreme Court has rejected a government appeal against a human rights ruling won by a group of people who...
Oxfam’s ‘toxic work environment’ allowed sexual misconduct allegations to go unchecked
The charity Oxfam failed to tackle an environment that allowed sexual misconduct and bullying to go unchecked, according to an interim independent review.
Top 10 HR questions November 2018: employee or worker?
A number of recent employment tribunal cases have dealt with the employment status of people working in the “gig economy”....
Fifth of employers ask about criminal records in potentially unlawful way
Around a fifth of national employers – including a number of household name companies – ask jobseekers for information about...
What the Oxfam scandal can teach us about background checking
The recent scandals involving Oxfam and other charities have come as a surprise to many, but could these embarrassing allegations...
Oxfam sex scandal spreads to UK charity shops
The sex scandal engulfing Oxfam’s operations overseas has now extended to its charity shops in the UK, after its former...
DBS background checks not bringing the benefits expected
A National Audit Office investigation into the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) has found its modernisation programme is running three...
Background screening: Eight key checks employers must make
Increased compliance means rising numbers of employers are performing numerous background checks on employees. Steve Smith...
Government should ‘ban the box’ in DBS criminal records overhaul
The current disclosure of youth criminal records in the UK undermines principles of youth justice and could fall short of...
Time for change? Rehabilitation of offenders and the Lammy review
Last month, David Lammy MP published a review recommending that, in certain cases, criminal records could be sealed from employers....
Lammy review: Criminal records could be ‘sealed’ from employers
Individuals’ criminal records could be sealed from employers as part of a series of recommendations made in an independent review...
Criminal record checks: filtering system ruled unlawful
The incoming Government must rethink criminal record disclosure rules after defeat in the Court of Appeal over the process for...
How employers can break the re-offending cycle
Young entrepreneur Jacob Hill has just launched Offploy, which guides businesses through the HR, legal and ethical minefield associated with...
Leadsom and “CV-gate”: how can HR always be sure of accuracy?
Before she stepped out of the Conservative party leadership race earlier this week, Andrea Leadsom had already attracted unwanted attention...
Religious discrimination: Christian teacher’s dismissal for refusal to divorce sex offender
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a Christian employee, dismissed for not divorcing her husband when he was...
