Criminal Record Checks

Conducting criminal record checks in Ontario – Changes, they are a-coming

May 5, 2016 Rubin Thomlinson LLP Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring, Union Relations

On December 3, 2015, the Ontario Legislature passed the Police Record Checks Reform Act. The Act will come into force upon proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, which date has yet to be announced though it is expected to occur in the next few weeks. The Act would bring about a sea change in the manner in which criminal record checks are conducted.

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New limits on criminal records checks

February 3, 2016 Stringer LLP Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring, Union Relations

The Ontario Government has passed legislation which imposes new restrictions on criminal record checks. All employers that rely on such checks should take note.

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HRinfodesk poll result and commentary: Do you conduct criminal record checks? Should you?

October 17, 2013 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Analytics, HR Policies and Procedures, HRMS, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring

Criminal record checks are often in the news, and the federal government was part of that news with recent changes to pardons (now called “record suspensions”) and a program that encourages employers to hire offenders. So we thought it would be a good time to ask our readers, “Does your organization conduct criminal record checks on potential candidates?”

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Theft is no reason to violate an employee’s rights

April 12, 2013 Adam Gorley Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Privacy and Security, Recruiting and Hiring, Union Relations

Imagine you were working as a clerk in a grocery store, and your manager suspected you of stealing some product off the shelf. She has no concrete evidence, only hearsay from a co-worker. An investigation turns up nothing, and you continue working as though nothing had happened. But the manager notified your employer, and your employer added your name to a database of suspected employee thieves, which all sorts of retailers of all sizes subscribe to in order to avoid hiring persons of questionable character.

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