Understanding Recruitment Pre-Employment Checks
Pre-employment checks are becoming an increasingly common tool for employers and agencies during the recruitment process.
For some job roles, it’s obvious that pre-employment checks are necessary, for instance those in the medical field or police and military positions. However, in other jobs pre-employment checks may not be a legal or moral requirement, but they help to reassure employers that they are hiring people that are right for the job.
In this article, we’ll explore which pre-employment checks are right for different roles and job candidates, paying particular attention to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks.
Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks
Both Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks are in place to help prevent employers and agencies from taking on unsuitable people for roles that have a high degree of responsibility or involve working with vulnerable adults or children.
The eligibility requirements for Standard DBS Checks and Enhanced DBS Checks are fairly detailed, and employers need to be careful as requesting a check on an individual for a role that doesn’t meet the criteria is illegal and they may end up being prosecuted.
Standard DBS Checks reveal all spent or unspent convictions on a person’s criminal record, as well as any cautions, warnings, or reprimands.
Enhanced DBS Checks highlight all the same details as the Standard DBS Check, but they also show any relevant information that is held on file by local police forces. If the role is considered to be a ‘regulated activity’ then a check of the children’s or adult’s barred list will need to be conducted too.
A rule of thumb is that any job involving contact with vulnerable adults or children will require a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check.
Basic DBS Checks
Any role that does not require a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check is suitable for a Basic DBS Check. There is no eligibility criteria for Basic DBS Checks, other than the fact that the applicant must be aged 16 years or over.
Basic DBS Checks only reveal unspent convictions that are on the individual’s criminal record. It can help employers and agencies to gain confidence that the person is a good candidate for the job role, whatever it may be.
You can apply for your Basic DBS Check here.
Right to Work Checks
Right to work Checks are a widely used pre-employment check that is used by recruiters and employers to make sure that the applicant is allowed to work legally in the UK.
All recruitment agencies and employers should carry out a Right to Work Check on individuals that are new to the UK or are not British nationals. The Right to Work Check involves verification of the person’s official documents, such as passport or visa.
ID Checks
Identity checks are frequently carried out by employers to make sure that applicants are who they say they are. It involves cross-checking the individual’s identity documents against secure online official databases.
Identity Checks are especially important in the finance industry and for high level business positions as they help to prevent fraud and deception.
Recruitment agencies often run an ID check as part of their thorough pre-employment and background checks, as it helps them to make sure that they are only presenting clients with honest and decent job candidates.
DVLA Checks
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) holds records on all people registered to drive in the UK and their vehicles. If a job role involves driving, then the employer or agency must run a DVLA Check to ensure that they have a valid license.
DVLA checks allow employers and agencies to verify applicant’s driving license details through an online portal. The details revealed include the validity of the license, the expiry date, the types of vehicles permitted to drive, and any details of penalty points and motoring offenses that are held on file.
Any job role that requires driving, even if it is only a small part of the job, should include a DVLA Check in the recruitment process.
Credit Checks
An employer or agency may run an adverse credit check on candidates, especially for jobs that involve handling cash, funds, or valuable items. An adverse credit check uses different credit agencies to search for any defaults, IVAs (individual voluntary arrangements), CCJs (county court judgements), or any instances of bankruptcy.
The adverse credit check will help employers to get peace of mind that the candidate won’t be tempted to steal money or defraud the business in some way.
Pre-employment Checks Summary
There are several types of pre-employment checks including DBS Checks, ID Checks, Right to Work Checks, DVLA Checks, and Credit Checks.
If you would like to find out more about pre-employment checks for recruitment or anything to do with DBS Checks, then get in touch today.