Volunteer background screening undone by expunged records
Posted by EmployTest - on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 @ 08:18 AM
An article in today's Wall Street Journal highlights a practice that is apparently becoming more commonplace: the expungement of criminal records from a job applicant's past. Job applicants (and volunteers) are being excluded from consideration because of minor criminal offenses that occured years, even decades, ago, but still show up in a background search (or volunteer background screening).
Attorneys today can request to have those old records sealed (and shredded) so that they don't show up in a current background search. Is it ethical? Well, that's not our question to answer because each situation is unique and the crime committed may or may not be related to the job description. But as a Human Resource pro (or business owner/manager), you should be aware that this is happening.
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