Internet Erasure - Getting a job with a criminal conviction and removing links from search engines

November 10, 2023 at 05:01 AM EST

Getting a job with a criminal record means you’ll often face unfair stigma. Potential employers often require a UK police background check or even an adverse media check.

London, United Kingdom Nov 10, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Getting a job with a criminal conviction and removing links from search engines.

Getting a job with a criminal record means you'll often face unfair stigma. Potential employers often require a UK police background check, but it gets worse. A 2016 YouGov study found that 50% of companies prefer not to hire ex-offenders.

This makes getting into the world of work an uphill battle, which is especially unfair if you've moved on and deserve a clean slate. If that sounds like you, read on. This article gives you answers to the most frequently asked questions, including:

What jobs you can get with a criminal record
Types of criminal record checks
Removing links and articles from search engines

What jobs can I get with a UK criminal record?

In the UK, there are actually lots of jobs that don't require a criminal record check, including in retail, construction and technology. These are just some of the jobs for people with a criminal conviction:

Customer service
IT
Engineering
Creative industries
And many more

What jobs can't I do with a UK criminal record?

Jobs you can't get with a criminal record generally include roles working with vulnerable people and in regulated industries. Employers for these types of positions are typically exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. This means they're entitled to request standard or enhanced criminal record checks. Below are some of the jobs you can't do with a UK criminal record:

Teachers and childcare
Doctors and nurses
Transport workers, such as taxi drivers
Legal and financial professions, like accounting

Do I have to declare spent convictions when applying for a job?

If the company isn't exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you don't have to declare your spent convictions.

Can I be refused a job with a criminal record in the UK?

Legally speaking, an employer can't refuse you a job if you have a criminal record, unless:

The company or organisation is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Your conviction is unspent
Your conviction cannot be spent, such as for terrorism-related or sexual offences

Although unlawful, many employers may turn down candidates with spent convictions. They get around the law by citing other reasons to reject them. Remember the YouGov survey mentioned at the start of the post? It found that 40% of these employers claim ex-offenders may damage the public image of the business. The study also claims that 45% are worried ex-offenders may be unreliable.

How can someone search for my UK criminal record online?

The most common way that employers can find out about your criminal record is by using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS).

There are 3 different types of DBS background check:

Basic - shows all unspent convictions and cautions. All employers can request this.
Standard - discloses the same as the basic, but may contain more detailed information relevant to the specific role. It's usually required for financial and legal roles.
Enhanced - contains all past and current convictions and cautions, as well as other information the police may hold on you. Normally needed for working with children.

To see what's on your criminal record and view what information the police have about you, request a 'subject access request' (SAR) report.

Sadly, even if employers don't request a police background check, they can often find out by searching your name online.

A 2020 poll by Employment Express found that 70% of employers check out candidates' social media profiles.

That means if there are articles or information online about your past offence, it's very likely potential employers will find out.

Can I erase my criminal record from search engines?

You can request to remove links from Google and other search engines under the 'right to be forgotten' law. Keep in mind, that you can't erase information about your spent and unspent criminal convictions from official records. However, the 'right to be forgotten' helps if there is content about your spent criminal conviction online, including:

Old news articles
Old social media posts
Slander and negative comments

What is the right to be forgotten and how can it help if I have a criminal record?

The right to be forgotten is your legal entitlement to request your private information be removed from search engines. This means content about your spent criminal conviction can be taken down, so no potential employers will find it. Follow this step-by-step free guide to find out how.

The law regarding the right to be forgotten, (GDPR Article 17) is complex, however. As it's full of exceptions and loopholes, requests to remove links from search engines often fail.

How can Internet Erasure help remove links from search engines about my criminal conviction?

Internet Erasure's team of privacy lawyers are experts in the right to be forgotten. Our in-depth knowledge means we have successfully removed over 20,000 articles for 500+ clients. We're also the only company in the UK that consistently removes content about unspent convictions from search engines.

Here's what past clients with criminal convictions say about us:

"A fantastic company who I can't thank enough. For an incredibly reasonable fee, they successfully managed to remove articles relating to a conviction that was not yet legally spent. This was an amazing result given the difficulties in removing unspent convictions from the internet...I feel free of my past and ready to move forward, thank you so much Internet Erasure"
Review from TrustPilot

"Following a criminal conviction 5 years ago I was left with multiple online embarrassing links which prevented me from moving on with my life...This was until I spoke to Internet Erasure, ...Their drive and structured persistence achieved the removal of the links from Google...despite the fact the conviction was not yet spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act...I can now get on with my life without the shadow of the past holding me back Thank you thank you thank you!"
Review from TrustPilot

You can find out if you'd be eligible by checking on our 'Who Can Apply?' page for Criminal Convictions. It's also a good idea to check out the 'Who Cannot Apply' page, as certain criminal convictions aren't covered by the right to erasure.

Contact us today for a free consultation to see if we can help you break from your past. We only take on cases we expect to win, so you can feel confident we'll clear your name.