Can a Criminal Record Check for Employment Be Mandatory?

For someone who has a criminal record, the idea of a mandatory criminal record check can be daunting. For those who don’t have a criminal history, the idea of having to get a mandatory criminal background check can be inconvenient, mainly because many believe they must go to the police station to get one.

It is true that many industries in Canada have made a criminal background check mandatory depending on your profession, and in some cases right across the board.

Here are a few industries that typically require criminal background checks:

– Childcare

– Education – teachers, teaching assistants, coaches, and other school staff

– Health care – health care aides, nurses, doctors, and paramedics

– Financial Services – financial advisors, bank employees, and anyone handling cash

– Government – police officers and other civil servants

– Information and Technology – systems managers and other I.T. professionals

While these organizations are most typical, any organization can make a criminal background check a mandatory part of their hiring process. We are even seeing the use of criminal background checks more prevalent in industries such as:

– Retail

– Telecommunications

– Collection agencies

– Hospitality

– Transportation

Why do employers require criminal background checks? The reasons can vary, but the most common themes range from theft to data security to employee/customer/patient security. The explosion of working from home has meant that individuals have more access to company and client/patient/member data than ever before, which has also increased the practice of mandatory criminal background checks.

Obtaining your criminal background check has never been easier. Secure, online solutions like the one offered by Triton Canada (Canada’s leader in criminal background checks), enable you to quickly obtain your criminal record check online.

So, what happens if you have a criminal history?

Many provinces have laws that are meant to protect those with a criminal history against criminal record discrimination. That said, it does not mean it does not happen every day. If you qualify for a pardon, apply. A pardon and requesting an according Record Suspension will see your criminal record eliminated and enable you to move past it. With that said, another interesting point was the reason for your crime. If it is unrelated to the job you are applying for, you may get the job anyway. The important thing is to be honest and provide as much detail as possible about what occurred so that the prospective employer can be set at ease that even though you had an indiscretion it won’t impact your ability to work for them.

Do not let a mandatory criminal background check shake you. Obtain it to be prepared for that job you are trying to land and be prepared to either use it as an asset or to provide more information in the event that it will lead to questions.

To obtain your criminal background check online, visit www.tritoncanada.ca/online-police-checks.