Reed want to see my husband's bank statements 😩

[Weepingwillowtree]

Desperate to get back into the workplace after 10 years out being a SAHM. Plucked up the courage to go for a Reed interview for a teaching assistant job (no qualifications required even though I have a BSc). Was told I had too much of a gap in my CV and they would need to see my husbands bank statements to “prove that I had been supported by him during this time”. I feel this is a total invasion of our privacy, what has my husbands finances got to do with whether or not I am capability of being a teaching assistant?? Am I being completely unreasonable refusing to provide this? They said they can’t give me a job unless I show his bank statements 😩

Not relevant to the OP which is about gaps in employment, but as most people are aware, a DBS requires 2 identity documents and one to prove your address.

I would suggest using a utility bill and not a bank statement when possible. Tricky when you need a DBS at 16, but most adults have better documents to prove their address.

I agree it's worrying that some people hand over their information thoughtlessly.

@OhWhyNot

Ok I shall mention that to my NHS Trust HR department

You really really should. And ask them exactly why they wanted them, I'd be really interested in knowing the answer.

@TSSDNCOP yes I got that, I was really just saying someone may have fucked up when they commissioned Reed, who are indeed complete tools.

The DH would presumably have to give his written permission to the specific use of his personal data, details of the data request and purposes for which it was to be used, and written guidelines on the data controller's policies and protections in place. He would then also become a data subject, wouldn't he?

Somehow, I think Reed have not really thought this through thoroughly.

I was being sarcastic

I have more important things to discuss with HR than their procedures of looking into background checks

All I had to do was say that I was SAHM. This was with direct applications to schools. I would skip the agency, they charge schools.

If you work with very vulnerable people I'd much rather want to know that you are someone capable of rational thought,questioning things and the legality of them , common sense etc. Your ability to jump with no concern when someone half official says so, it's frankly a lot more concerning.

I agree. When you're applying for jobs where safeguarding is an important issue, you'd think that a readiness to question the relevance and appropriateness of data requests would be a good thing. And that blithely going along with stuff that rings alarm bells, just because it's what you've been asked to do by someone sitting behind a desk, would be a bad thing.

Maybe to some of us or doesn’t ring alarm bells ....

It didn’t for me

To be honest I would avoid Reed at all costs! I had an ex employee who had put me down as a reference, the information they wanted was ridiculous and even more bizarre was that she had been in the job for about 2 months before they sent the reference request!

@Weepingwillowtree

Desperate to get back into the workplace after 10 years out being a SAHM. Plucked up the courage to go for a Reed interview for a teaching assistant job (no qualifications required even though I have a BSc). Was told I had too much of a gap in my CV and they would need to see my husbands bank statements to “prove that I had been supported by him during this time”. I feel this is a total invasion of our privacy, what has my husbands finances got to do with whether or not I am capability of being a teaching assistant?? Am I being completely unreasonable refusing to provide this? They said they can’t give me a job unless I show his bank statements 😩

I've done exactly the same as you, I've managed to secure an amazing job at a school I was volunteering at for my TA course - I was sahm for just over 8 years, completely relied on my DH financially, DC both now in school. I did not share my DHs financial info, however I did apply through the council for this position, did look at job sites but no request for his info.

There is an obligation under statutory safer recruiting guidance for schools that any gaps in employment history are explored by the interview panel, but this seems like a premature and very heavy handed way of obtaining this information. Generally a discussion at the interview suffices, as it’s a common scenario that parents will have taken a career break. I’d be tempted to inform the school that Reed are representing, so that they know what is being asked for.

That's shocking. Definitely speak to ACAS

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I would contact ACAS and give Reed nothing but shit storm.

This

@OhWhyNot

* Advanced dbs

Mmn654123 It was explained above why they may ask for a partners bank statements

I’ve read the thread and nobody has given a good (and plausible) explanation.

The Op is applying for a job. Her husband is not applying for a job. His bank statements are not relevant to her application.

Nobody has given a plausible explanation as to why this is required. Because it isn’t.

@OhWhyNot

I was being sarcastic

I have more important things to discuss with HR than their procedures of looking into background checks

I know you were. But I wasn't, you should really be questioning why they wanted that information. It's not OK.

@OhWhyNot

TurquoiseDragon

That’s your choice. I work with very vulnerable people. I understand that as much background checks need to be carried out as possible.

I’m not sure why others find that so scary

Are you an utter simpleton?

“As much background checks need to be carried out as possible”?

You thing that’s a rational position?

As much as possible?

@ILoveAllRainbowsx

Contact Radio 4 Moneybox, hopefully they will investigate.

Great idea, though I think Radio 4's You and Yours would be a better fit for this utter bullshit.

Maybe to some of us or doesn’t ring alarm bells

Maybe it should. Multiple people on this thread with advanced DBS have said that it doesn't require this. It also should be obvious to anyone with a modicum of common sense that your spouse's bank statement cannot prove anything useful about what you were doing during a gap in your cv. So why ask for it?

Reed can go fuck themselves.
Sign up with eteach, OP. That's how I got my job.

I work with vulnerable people

To me a fill back ground check by the trust I work for NHS department did not ring alarm bells I fail to see why it should (I handed my bank statements in I’m single so can’t hand in a partners)

Everyday my alarms bells ring at work that given the area I work in that is what would be expected

@OhWhyNot

Ok I shall mention that to my NHS Trust HR department

Might be a good idea, that. They might need a refresher on what is acceptable evidence for checks.

After all, people have posted the links to the requirements for DBS checks, and Right to Work checks, and neither include checking over a partner's bank statements (which actually are of limited value for safeguarding background checks).

As I replied earlier I was being sarcastic

I have far more important issues to deal with when in contact with the HR department than their policies of background checks

And at present they are endless with all the risk assessments that are having to be carried out due to covid

@OhWhyNot

I work with vulnerable people

To me a fill back ground check by the trust I work for NHS department did not ring alarm bells I fail to see why it should (I handed my bank statements in I’m single so can’t hand in a partners)

Everyday my alarms bells ring at work that given the area I work in that is what would be expected

But would they have asked for the bank statements of your partner if you had one?

Without knowing that your experience is not comparable

@OhWhyNot

I was being sarcastic

I have more important things to discuss with HR than their procedures of looking into background checks

Robust recruitment is one of the most important things an NHS trust does. I did large scale NHS recruitment / appointment for several years. There is never any need to have a bank statement from a third party, not for DBS purposes, nor for any other reason.

If that was a requirement then no I would not have an issue with this

I have no idea if this is a requirement