ABSTRACT
There have been cases over the years of individuals being employed in senior and sometimes professional jobs such as doctors where no proper checks have been made as to their educational and professional qualifications – and they have turned out to be bogus! There is nothing unlawful about a prospective employer checking a job applicant's credit history as long as the individual has given their informed consent and understands the reasons for the request. There is an interesting question as to whether if the agency did not conduct credit and other checks, this would be a breach of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. Any credit check results in what is known as a 'footprint' being left with credit reference agencies, such as experian, credit expert and equifax. Financial Services Authority Rules is the responsibility of the prospective employer to submit the application, and reckless submission of inaccurate or misleading information is a criminal offence.
