Criminal Background Check for New Employment

I received this question the other day: My employer wants me to do a criminal record check to work in the local hospital.  I went in to do the criminal background check and they say because I have the same date of birth as a registered sex offender I will have to submit my fingerprints and get an RCMP or CPIC check.  Why do I have to do this if I have never been charged or convicted of any crime?

 

The answer is that most employers in Canada are doing criminal background checks for new employment or even for promotions within. A regular criminal check done on the internet or through an agency like Backcheck will simply show if the person has been fingerprinted or not, or if the person has the same name as a registered sex offender.  Usually in this case, the employer will ask you to go to the police and have your prints taken so that an RCMP file will be produced to show if you in fact have any criminal charges.

 

If you were fingerprinted by the police but the criminal charge was later withdrawn, dismissed, stayed, peace bond, or discharged, it's important to remove the fingerprints so that in the future when a criminal background check is done, you will not be flagged.