to think this person is being completely UR in these interviews

[mileend2bermondsey]

I know a person who owns their own carpentry business and has been interviewing apprentices. I found out one of the questions she has been asking in the interviews is 'do you have a criminal record and have you ever been in trouble with the police'. I said its totally UR to ask and that the interviewees are under no obligation to disclose this information.

Am I alone thinking this is out of order and actually illegal?

What if they are installing windows or wardrobes in someone home? What if there could be vulnerable in it people then? What if they've burgled houses in the past and are working on door and windows installation.

If she's doing something illegal then you should tell her so OP to stop her. If it's immoral then it's up to her.

Whether she gets a true answer or not, she's not going to know.

My husband's a tradesman and he's been asked it by a couple of companies in the past so I'm interested if it is illegal.

If the offence is spent, they can answer no. What if someone has a recent conviction of assault - I wouldn't be happy emptying them in a workplace with sharp tools.

Yes OP, you can ask in certain situations for certain jobs.

There is a huge difference in potential employers in small businesses WANTING to know and actually having the right - legally or morally to know.

Obviously I can only go on the OP saying this employer does not want to employ ANYONE with a conviction. So they're not taking any of the information in context - they are disregarding someone on the basis of them having a conviction. They don't care what/why/how it happened.

And that does go against the rehabilitation of offenders act. I am probably biased as know many ex - offenders who I would trust above other non - offenders I know.

In the absence of possible risk to vulnerable people, every one should be judged on their merits, their ability to do the job and the person they are now.

Because otherwise we're saying that anyone with a criminal conviction should possibly be excluded from most jobs.

And the absence of a criminal record is no real indicator that the person hasn't committed previous offences or doesn't pose a potential risk.

Thousands of offenders don't get caught and don't get convicted every year. In my experience, the people I worked with in MH who posed the most risk to the public had no previous convictions. A history of violence/sexual offending yes. But no convictions.

Relevant if they work in peoples' homes.

I had a very vulnerable adult in my home while I was having all the windows replaced.
I chose a firm that had been recommended by a few neighbours, but I still had to trust to some extent that the 2 blokes were normal decent human beings:
She sat in her chair almost all the time, but it took an entire day, so I left her briefly alone with them when I went to the loo, made tea and meals etc.
If they had abused her in any way, or stolen something from her, she couldn't have told me what was wrong and might not even have reacted.

She's entitled to ask about unspent convictions but not spent ones. It's illegal to try to get inappropriate DBS checks.

She's obviously trying to filter out anyone with a conviction and I hope she gets reported for it. The attitude of the agency stinks as well.

Yes, I know some criminals are never convicted, but at least it removes some of the risk.
Not relevant if they work in a shop or office, but a private home is different, because it is private and anyone living there might be a vulnerable person.