Recruitment 'needs to have vetting procedure'
Oct 02 2008
Criminal record checks should not be relied on solely in the recruitment process and a 'proper vetting procedure' should be in place, according to an industry body.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) states criminal checks are not 'the be-all-and-end-all of good quality recruitment practice', saying it may not always offer the security which is needed.
Anne Fairweather, head of public policy for the group, says businesses tend to be a bit nervous around the issue and 'they start to worry when there is no need to'.
She adds that questioning gaps in a career history can be as important as checking for criminal activity.
When using a recruitment agency it can often place the firm in an awkward position, as sometimes requests for these checks can be inappropriate for the profession and place the agency in a 'difficult position', Fairweather states.
An investigation entitled Information Abuse, broadcast by BBC Radio 4's consumer affairs programme Face The Facts, found the Criminal Records Bureau states employers are the best judge of whether a criminal check is needed.
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