Employers still probe candidates about past convictions

Almost three-quarters of national companies continue to probe jobseekers about criminal records during the application process, a study has revealed.

The research conducted by Unlock – a charity for people harbouring convictions - found that 22% of employers had phrased questions relating to criminal history in a way that was potentially unlawful or misleading.

The study suggested that either misleading questions or a lack of guidance could expose an employer to the risk of “asking for information they are not entitled to, and of putting off qualified applicants who believe they are being asked to disclose something they should not have to”.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Unlock’s Co-Director, Christopher Stacey says that, although the number of employers removing criminal record questions from the application process is progressive it is not moving quickly enough to conquer the recruiting issue.