Surge in ‘invasive’ character checks on new staff

The country’s largest trade union group says some employers are engaging in “invasive” character checks on jobseekers, including on their financial circumstances, which could make it more difficult to secure employment.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said it was aware of the growing use of pre-screening of jobseekers by employers, as a survey suggested 39% of retailers had stock stolen by staff.

Ictu legislation and legal affairs officer Esther Lynch said some employers were increasingly running credit checks on people before hiring, using publicly available information in what she said was an unwarranted focus on someone’s perceived trustworthiness.