All You Need To Know About Recruitment of Ex-offenders Policy
People that work for employers or organisations that recruit for roles that need DBS Checks, then you may be aware that there is a legal requirement to consider the recruitment of ex-offenders.
Most employers that carry out DBS Checks should have a recruitment of ex-offenders policy in place. In this article, we’ll discuss exactly what we mean by this policy and which businesses and organisations need to have one set out.
What is recruitment of ex-offenders policy?
Recruitment of ex-offenders policy is a document that employers should have in place to direct their recruitment procedure. It helps to ensure that employers act in a fair manner when recruiting people that may have a criminal record and when requesting DBS Checks.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 covers some of the legislation, but when it comes to DBS Check eligibility, the Police Act 1997 is a key piece of law. The legislation and DBS code of practice state that companies and orgnisations that request DBS Checks need to have a written policy in place relating specifically to the recruitment of ex-offenders.
The code of practice also makes a point of stating that any DBS Check policy should treat every single applicant in a fair way. What this means in practice is that the criminal record of any applicant should not automatically influence the recruitment outcome in a discriminatory way.
Fair recruitment is at the heart of any recruitment of ex-offenders’ policy and should be made available and clear to any applicants at the start of the recruitment process.
Which Employers Need A Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy In Place?
The code of practice that is outlined in UK legislation states that any organisation that routinely requests DBS Checks for specific job roles, needs to write up a recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
The policy needs to be in place to ensure that whoever is requesting a DBS Check is applying fair recruitment practices and the applicant feels secure in that knowledge.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) provides a template or sample policy that employers can download and use.
How Does A Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy Actually Work?
In practice, a recruitment of ex-offenders policy sets out the way in which the organisation will provide fair and equal opportunities to applicants, without discriminating against them based on their criminal record.
The policy should be made clear during the recruitment process, including in job advertisements.
Summary of Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy
The purpose of a recruitment of ex-offenders policy is to make sure that all applicants are treated fairly based on the results of a criminal background check.
In other words, employers must define the recruitment process they use and how they avoid discriminating against ex-offenders when requesting a DBS Check.
If you want to find out more about DBS Checks and how they affect the recruitment of ex-offenders, get in touch with one of our expert advisors now.
