What is a background check?
A background check is typically a prior record check. This is often also called a National Police Check or National Police Clearance. It simply means checking someone’s details against a central police database of people with a prior record. When such a check is performed by an HR department, the applicant typically has to give their informed consent beforehand. Police Clearance Certificates come back with either disclosable court outcomes (DCOs) or no disclosable court outcomes (NDCOs) listed. Apart from the prior record of an applicant, background checks can also involve verifying their identity, their education and qualifications, and taking up references by their previous employers.
What are disclosable court outcomes?
Disclosable court outcomes refer to court appearances, charges and court convictions, findings of guilt with no conviction, court orders, and matters currently awaiting a court hearing. If ‘No disclosable court outcomes’ is stated on a Police Clearance Certificate, this means that there is no record of any court convictions, findings of guilt or any other Australian police history information on the applicant whose background you are checking.
Why are background checks important?
Naturally, you want to be sure you know who is working for our company. Cases of identity fraud can have serious consequences. Some roles, in particular, require specialist knowledge or security clearances. In these cases, it’s especially important that the person you are hiring is who they say they are and really has the training and qualifications they claim to have in their resume. This may involve critical health and safety or security issues, depending on the role. Of course, you also want to protect your company from damages and keep the risk of offence or fraudulent actions to a minimum. So you want to be sure you aren’t hiring someone who has been convicted of theft or embezzlement in their previous role, for example.
Who should carry out background checks?
Any employer hiring a new staff member should take the time to run a background check on applicants before taking them on. In larger organisations, this is usually done by the human resources department. If you work for a smaller business, you may be responsible for running background checks yourself if you have the authority to hire staff. So it’s worth reading up on the process and being aware of what it involves. Related: 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees
Frequently asked questions about background checks
Here is a compilation of some common questions about background checks:
How can I do background checks on people?
To verify an applicant’s credentials and employment history, you can simply contact their former employer and training or educational institution by email or phone to verify the information on the resume you were given. In terms of prior record checks, there are several alternatives:
- You can request that the applicant provides their own Police Clearance Certificate from an accredited body or Australian Police Authority.
- You can become a legal entity customer of an accredited body. This is especially worthwhile if you or your company need to carry out background checks on a regular basis.
- You can opt to become an accredited body yourself. According to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, you may be eligible for this option if your company carries out at least 500 background checks over a five-year period.
How can I do a background check for free?
In terms of prior record checks, you can simply ask your potential new employee to provide their own National Police Certificate. To verify their educational credentials or references, you can make a quick phone call to their educational institution or previous employer, which will cost you only a few minutes of your time.
What if a potential employee fails a prior recored check?
If you discover that an applicant has been untruthful about their qualifications or past employment in their application, then this is sufficient reason for declining to hire them. In terms of their prior record, there usually needs to be a clear correlation between their offence and the role you’re planning to hire them for. Otherwise, you may risk subjecting yourself to potential discrimination claims. So, if you’re recruiting a delivery driver and your applicant has a history of driving under the influence of alcohol, for example, this may be a valid reason not to hire them.
Is googling an applicant acceptable as part of a background check?
It’s only natural to want to look up your potential new staff members on search engines or social media. And technology has made it easier than ever to just type in someone’s name and find out what kind of person they are. However, The Privacy Act may prevent you from using any knowledge obtained from social media posts when making a hiring decision. If you discover something really serious or concerning, it might be worthwhile to seek legal advice before making any decisions, so you can be sure you’re legally on the safe side if you decide against hiring them on these grounds.
What other types of background checks are there?
Apart from the prior record check we already explored, there are a number of other checks worth performing:
- ID verification: Similar to the Australian Government’s 100-point ID document verification method, Australia Post offers a service that lets Australian companies and organisations verify the identification of new hires. Apart from ID verification, their Workforce Identification service also includes visa and police checks if required.
- International police clearance: If your applicant is from abroad or has spent long periods of time in another country, it’s worth having them obtain an international police clearance certificate for the country in question.
- Visa status: As an employer, you want to be sure that your new staff member is legally entitled to work in Australia if they are not an Australian citizen. Checking their visa status and confirming their right to work is therefore very important to avoid legal issues down the track.
- Driving history: Any role involving a motor vehicle should be subject to a driving history check. Any driving-related convictions are usually included on their National Police Clearance certificate. Make sure you look out for them!
- Employee references: It’s always worth taking the time to contact former employers and hear first-hand what they have to say about your potential new hire. You never know what you may find out!
- Blue card: If you’re hiring in the state of Queensland, your employees will likely need a blue card to work or volunteer with children in Queensland or run a child-related business.
As you’ve discovered, a background check is an opportunity – and indeed a must – when it comes to verifying that your applicant is who they say they are. This will prevent your company from harm and potential legal issues or even financial losses later on. Being diligent during the recruitment process is sure to pay off! When you’re ready to recruit, our Hiring on Indeed FAQs will guide you!
