{"id":516,"date":"2021-05-13T11:37:04","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T15:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harmonizehq.com\/blog\/?p=516"},"modified":"2021-06-08T01:53:17","modified_gmt":"2021-06-08T05:53:17","slug":"employee-background-checks-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harmonizehq.com\/blog\/employee-background-checks-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Employee Background Checks in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Employee background checks are a norm in most organizations. But how far can an employee background check really go?<\/p>\n<p>In this blog, we&#8217;ll define an employee background check, explain why it&#8217;s important, and explain the legal ramifications of doing one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:480px;max-width:100%;margin:5px auto;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_dRdHTLehZPU\"><div id=\"lyte_dRdHTLehZPU\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FdRdHTLehZPU%2Fhqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/dRdHTLehZPU\"><img src=\"https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-youtube-lyte\/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FdRdHTLehZPU%2F0.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"340\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:480px;margin:5px auto;\"><\/div><\/p>\n<h2>What is an Employee Background Check?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">employee background check<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also known as a pre-employment screening, is a process where an employer checks to ensure that a person is who they claim to be. It provides an employer with the opportunity to check an employee\u2019s criminal record, employment history, education, and any other relevant activities. In Australia, employee background checks are common practice, with many Australian employers viewing it as an important part of the recruitment process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Why would I want to do a Pre-Employment Screening?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employee background checks can be useful in determining if an applicant is suitable for the role they are applying for. The main reasons that employers would want to conduct an employee background check are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safety of customers and employees\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining the reputation of the business\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce the instance of theft from the company<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What Types of Employee Background Checks Can Be Conducted?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.owenhodge.com.au\/blog\/importance-employee-background-checks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 pre-employment screening tests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can be conducted, and they are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Police Check<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\">A police check is a pre-employment screening test that assesses an applicant&#8217;s criminal history. It requires fingerprinting and relevant paperwork. As long as the candidate is 14 or older, employers can request to have this check performed. To carry out this check you need the express consent of the applicant.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Working with Children Check<\/h3>\n<p>A working with children check must be done separately from a police check and is defined in the Child Protection Act 2012. Employers are also encouraged to use social media as part of their employee background checks to ensure the integrity of applicants.<\/p>\n<h3>Qualification Check<\/h3>\n<p>A qualification check ensures that an employee achieved the educational degrees and other qualifications that they specified in their application. Employers also use this to verify certificates and licenses as well, this is especially important where employees are required to have specific qualifications to ensure safety.<\/p>\n<h3>Reference Check<\/h3>\n<p>A references check helps employers confirm how the applicant works and performs in a working environment. It also helps verify the applicant\u2019s working history and responsibilities.<\/p>\n<h3>Credit History Check<\/h3>\n<p><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A credit history check is especially important where the applicant\u2019s role involves managing finances. The employer would have to gain consent from an applicant or employee prior to conducting this check. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Medical Screening<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants cannot be required to undergo a medical screening during the recruitment procedure. However, in Queensland, there is an exception and employers are able to ask applicants whether they have an injury or pre-existing medical condition if that condition could be aggravated by carrying out duties associated with the relevant role. Additionally, once candidates become employees, employers have more freedom to conduct employee background checks. As such, they can request employees to undergo medical examinations as long as it is reasonable within the circumstances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-518\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia.jpg\" alt=\"Medical Screening Employee Background Check Australia\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.harmonizehq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Medical-Screening-Employee-Background-Check-Australia-930x620.jpg 930w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>When Can an Employee Background Check Be Conducted?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers generally have the freedom to conduct employee background tests during the recruitment process and during employment. It must be noted that some employee checks can only be conducted after an individual becomes an employee. Equally, employers must request permission from the candidate before running any type of background check.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Are Employee Background Checks Legal?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-employment screenings are legal, however, employers are not allowed to discriminate against applicants on the basis of results from the background checks. Additionally, employers have to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">consider the following<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when conducting these checks:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers cannot ask applicants for information relating to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.equalityhumanrights.com\/en\/equality-act\/protected-characteristics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protected characteristics<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers cannot ask applicants to discuss any information about their:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gender, marital status, or sexual identity\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">age group or age<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">any disability<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants have to be informed about the employee background check<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants need to know how their personal information is being collected\u00a0 and about other third parties such as referees\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal information collected must be necessary\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers must only collect data that is necessary and relevant to the individuals&#8217; application<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individuals must give consent<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants must give their express consent for the collection of any information that can be considered as \u201csensitive\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Union Membership<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetic or Health information\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Criminal Records<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethnic Origin or Race\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Political Affiliation or Opinions\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual Preferences\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Religious Beliefs\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants must have access to collected data\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applicants must be allowed full access to their personal information if they wish<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Employee background checks are a norm in most organizations. But how far can an employee background check really go? In this blog, we&#8217;ll define an&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v18.4.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A Guide to Employee Background Checks in Australia | HarmonizeHQ<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Employee background checks can help in determining if an applicant is suitable for a job. 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