Introduction
It is vital that employers take the time to understand how to recruit safely and fairly. The law around criminal record checks is complex and recent changes to the legislation mean that many employers’ policies and procedures are out of date. Ensuring that relevant staff have a thorough and working knowledge of the legislation means organisations can be assured that they have adequate protection in place for their business, staff and clients. The cost of not doing so could mean they are breaking the law and result in hefty fines.
There are now more than 12.3 million people recorded as having a criminal record on the Police National Computer (PNC) (Home Office, 2023). This equates to over 25% of the working-age population. Many employers who have knowingly hired people with convictions reported a positive experience (Reed, 2013, Working Links, 2010 and Working Chance, 2022) and indicated that these employees worked as hard, if not harder, than those with no convictions.
Discover our Employer Advice Service
If you’re an employer looking for advice about employing people with a criminal record, asking about a criminal record, carrying out a criminal record check or risk assessing a person with a criminal record, our Employer Advice Service provides confidential advice and guidance on criminal record related issues.
We provide free, accessible guides and expert consultation and training for businesses across the UK. We deliver training and consultancy across England and Wales and have clients which include West London NHS Trust, Housing Group Plus, Birmingham City Council, Maximum UK, Middlesborough College, Girlguiding, Dorset NHS Trust, and St Mungos to name a few.
To find out more, see our Employer Advice Service information.