The
Rehabiliation of Offenders Act
was brought in to help people with criminal convictions get into work. Whether
an employee needs to tell you about a conviction will depend on:
Some convictions become
"spent" after a period of time and don't have to be disclosed. If you
request information about convictions during the application process,
prospective employees must tell you if they have been convicted of specific
crimes and if they received a custodial sentence of a certain length. Some
convictions never become spent and they always have to be disclosed. For more
information visit the NACRO website www.nacro.org.uk or ring NACRO on 020 7582 6500.
Other
useful sites:
Criminal Records
Bureau
Set up to help organisations make safer recruitment decisions. By providing
wider access to criminal record information, the CRB helps employers in the
public, private and voluntary sectors identify candidates who may be unsuitable
for certain work, especially that involving contact with children or other
vulnerable members of society. Ex-offenders will retain the protection afforded
by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
Visit www.crb.gov.uk
or ring the Information Line on 0870
90 90 811
Data Protection
If you are storing sensitive
information about individuals such as criminal proceedings or convictions, you
should ensure that you comply with the Data Protection Act.
Visit www.ico.gov.uk
or ring 01625 545745.
