Pre-employment checks
We undertake various pre-employment checks before we can make a firm offer of employment
- Pre-employment checks process
-
If you are successful at interview, we will make you a conditional offer of employment.
Before we are able to make a firm offer, we will need to undertake a range of employment checks. These will vary dependent on the specific role to which you have applied for. This means that the offer is not ‘firm’ until all the pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed.
After the recruiting manager has made you a verbal conditional offer, the Recruitment team will send you an email to confirm. This will outline your conditional offer and the outstanding pre-employment checks. These checks must be satisfactorily completed.
To accept your conditional offer, login to your account at https://careers.newjob.org.uk/ (or via ESS Lite for internal candidates). The Recruitment Team will then start the outstanding pre-employment checks.
The length of time to undertake pre-employment checks will vary and is dependant upon how quickly we receive back the information from you and from other people (e.g referees).
- References
-
As a part of the pre-employment checking process we need to take up formal references for all candidates. These must be received and be acceptable before an offer can become 'firm' or 'unconditional.'
- Proof of your qualifications and professional registration
-
Hampshire County Council must employ people with the relevant registrations and essential qualifications for each role. This ensures individuals are appropriately registered and qualified to deliver services to our community.
The job posting provides details of the statutory registrations and essential qualifications. You must provide your registration details where required. For example:
- Nurses (NMC)
- Social Workers (SWE)
- Occupational Therapists (HCPC)
- Teachers (TRA)
If an essential qualification is required, then you will need to provide your original certificate.
- Health assessment
-
Hampshire County Council is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to remove potential barriers that may exist to people applying or working here.
Should you be successful in your application, you will be given the opportunity to flag any reasonable adjustments that you may require, to the Recruiting Manager. You are not required to declare any medical information, but you can discuss any need for equipment, support or alternative ways of working. Depending on the outcome, you may be referred to our Occupational Health team for further assessment.
- Automatic referral to the Occupational Health team
-
For roles with certain job hazards, candidates are automatically referred to Occupational Health. This is independent of the answers given on the Health Declaration. These roles include:
- those where individuals require Mandatory Health Surveillance (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)
- working in environments where individuals will be exposed to noise over 80 Db
- working with vibratory tools (chainsaw, strimmer, circular saw, sit on mower etc)
- coming into regular contact with aflatoxins as part of their work (biological hazard)
The purpose of this process is to ensure that we do not employ someone who, even after reasonable adjustments may have been made, is not physically capable of delivering the duties of the role. As an organisation, we have the responsibility not to put any service users or the role holders at risk. We ensure that their work will cause or aggravate the individual's previous or existing medical condition. Where the Occupational Health team does not recommend an appointment to the role for health reasons, the conditional offer made to the candidate will be withdrawn.
- Criminal Record Check
-
Safeguarding in Hampshire
Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. It expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.Posts working with children and vulnerable adults, or sensitive information about them, are subject to relevant pre-employment checks. This includes a Criminal Record check.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
A Criminal Record check shows details of all cautions, reprimands, warnings and convictions held on the Police National Computer.
An ‘Enhanced’ Disclosure will also show if an individual is included on a Barred List of individuals. These individuals are not permitted to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
A Disclosure may also contain any relevant and proportionate information held by local police forces.
More information about DBS checks
How to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service check
We will ask you to provide relevant and satisfactory ID and to complete the Disclosure Application Form. Once this has been completed, the check can be submitted for processing.
You will receive an original copy of your Disclosure Certificate. Keep it safe.
The school or department will may ask you to provide details of the Disclosure Certificate.
Guidance to support applicants completing the DBS application form
- Non Police Personnel Vetting Clearance
-
Hampshire County Council, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service and Hampshire Constabulary staff are now working together within some business areas. This means some individuals will have access to personal data and other sensitive information.
If the role is identified as such, you will be required to go through the Non Police Personnel Vetting process. The vetting process is entirely confidential.
The check is required to minimise the risk of sensitive information being misused. The vetting process involves various checks against several police systems. This is to assess whether the individual poses an unmanageable risk to the organisation.
If you have any queries, please contact the Police Security Vetting Unit by telephone on 01962 834634 or email [email protected].
- How do I know when my pre-employment checks have been completed
-
If you would like to know how your pre-employment checks are progressing, please contact the recruiting manager.
Once the checks have been completed the recruiting manager will contact you to agree a mutually convenient start date.
An email will also be sent to the email address you used when applying. This will confirm that all pre-employment checks have been completed and you can take up your role. Your Statement of Particulars will then be issued to you via email as soon as possible.