British Columbia's privacy watchdog says government should immediately direct police departments to stop disclosing non-conviction information in employment police record checks.
"Each year in B.C. thousands of police information checks are requested from police and used by employers or volunteer groups in the hiring process," privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham said in a press release.
"The information in these checks can have a significant and lasting impact on an individual's privacy, human rights, and feelings of dignity and self-worth. There is no evidence that the non-conviction information in these record checks predicts a risk of future criminal behaviour, improves the safety of citizens, or results in better hiring decisions."
The only types of employee who should have to undergo a full police record check — and are required to under provincial legislation — are people who work with children or "vulnerable adults," Denham said.
Police information checks differ from a criminal record check, in that they disclose information about past interactions with police that did not result in a conviction. Information checks can reveal details about investigations or charges that did not result in convictions and information about a potential employee's mental health.
Denham said she was particularly alarmed by the disclosure of mental health information, including suicide attempts.
"There is no reason why this information should be disclosed to employers, who would have no right to otherwise ask about this information in the hiring process," she said.
"Releasing this information threatens to further stigmatize the one in five of us who are affected by a mental health issue."
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner's full report on police information checks is available here.
@jenstden
