Reasons for Updating Police Checks of Existing Employees

May it be a resident or an immigrant, employees working in Australia must undergo a pre-screening process before being hired for any job roles in any company. To ensure a clean record of an employee and mandated by the federal authorities, many companies require a police check on every newly hired employee. Victoria is one such city in Australia with over 2,730,000 full-time and part-time employees, reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The victoria police check conducted on existing employees is increasingly becoming a common practice. To ensure a safe working environment, mitigate risks and protect the property, people and reputation of the organisation, police checks are mandatorily conducted in Australia.

What Are Police Checks?

A National Police Check is the data summary of a person’s police and criminal history recorded by the federal department in Australia. People undergo police checks to secure employment, registration, occupation-related licensing or voluntary work. They ensure safety, avoid harm and satisfy various legal liabilities to the employers, clients, customers and others working in the company.

Who Are Considered the Existing Employees in a Company?

Existing employees are those who have been recruited by the company for a significant time or who have rendered their services for the company for a long period. They withdraw a monthly or a weekly salary as agreed in the job contract. These employees would have passed the police check during their recruitment or the interview. However, legally, companies are authorised to conduct criminal screening or police checks when the need arises. This demand occurs in community-based service, childcare, healthcare and other industries, where the employees would be working in close contact with minors, communities, and vulnerable groups, to ensure their safety.

When Do Companies Require Police Check Certificates from Existing Employees?

There are various reasons why existing employees would require criminal screening or police checks in Victoria, Australia. During such circumstances, police checks are an obligatory requirement where the employers and the employees must comply and submit the necessary documents for verification.

When There is a Change in the Job Role

If an employee’s job role changes, they have to undergo a victoria police check. The company would require an updated report on the person’s police profile as the new role might involve different levels of risks with the employee getting clearances and access to confidential information or a vulnerable population.

Where There is a Higher Risk Involved

The police check procedure in Australia is a risk-mitigating safety strategy that the companies undertake. Promoting an employee to a lower or upper management level would be a risk for the company as they would have higher clearance and access to confidential files. There are also some jobs where the level of risk is higher, like the police, medical professional, property broker or bank manager etc., which require a police verification certification.

When the Current Job Role Does Not Require a Police Check

Some job roles might not mandate a police check upon recruitment. But when such employees are shifted to another job role or promoted, there is a higher risk involved, or there might be a mandatory requirement for a police check. In such situations, the employees must comply with the authorities and provide the necessary documents for a police check to shift job roles.

When There Are Changes in the Legislature

If the company changes the legislature or the law, which requires the employees to undergo a police check, then the employees would have to provide police check certificates. The company must justify the changes to the authorities, follow the protocol and conduct the employee police checks legally.

Due to the reasons mentioned above, a victoria police check is conducted to safeguard the companies or vulnerable groups. This police check is mandatory, and everyone needs to comply with it.