Working from Home with a Criminal Record
Working from home may be an option even if you have a criminal record. Most employers will conduct a background check, even for employees who are working from home. This issue is much more common than people realize. 1 in 8 Canadians have a criminal record and almost 5 million Canadians are now working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses started shutting down as a precaution because of the virus, thinking that they will be closed for a matter of weeks. We all thought we would go back to work in no time, a year later, some of us still have no return date in sight. Some of us enjoy this new way of working from home and others are finding this adjustment difficult. It has brought a whole new set of risks that most people were not prepared for.
Working from home may become the new normal
As a result of a decrease in demand, many employers have reduced their workforce, and many Canadians have lost their jobs. In other cases, employees have seen the conditions of their employment change so drastically that their jobs are barely recognizable which leads us to the question;
“What are my options if I have a criminal record?
How do I get back in the job market?”
Working from home is a good option. However, while we may be tempted to think that a criminal record would not affect working remotely, obtaining a pardon may still be necessary.
Are you eligible for a pardon? Click here to find out.
What work from home opportunities are available for me if I have a criminal record?
The job market is evolving and it has created many work from home job opportunities especially for people with a criminal record. The main reason is because there is no formal interview process. Also, most online jobs do not require background checks and lastly it gives you the chance to show off your skills even though you have a criminal record.
Let's take a look at some of the most popular work from home careers, and how someone with a criminal record can get into this line of work.
Working from home encompasses a lot of benefits. Here some easy-to-start work from home opportunities.
- Remote data entry - Entering data is a good paying online job. There are lots of opportunities available, and you do not require any competitive skills;
- Blogger/Content creator - Many companies now have blogs on their page to attract new clients. It is usually about creating content for the services or products of the company. If you like writing, working as a content creator is a good opportunity;
- Online Translator - If you speak more than one language, this is another great opportunity. A lot of companies are hiring translators to publish blogs in more than one language to market their products and services;
- Virtual Assistant - Becoming a virtual assistant is one of the easiest types of jobs you can do from home as it does not require any advanced skills. Many companies have been hiring virtual assistants to manage their daily tasks over the years;
- Customer service - In the light of the current climate, many call centres companies now have the option of working from home. Customer service is another industry that will allow you to work remotely with a criminal record.
You can find online jobs that list legitimate full and part time jobs on indeed.ca, simplyhired.ca and upwork.com.
While there are many scams out there that advertise a big pay cheque for doing pretty much nothing, working from home raises many questions about how secure it is to share your information online, especially for big companies. Many of these companies have started screening their potential candidates via online background checks platforms.
Don’t know what will show up on your background check?
Click here to find out.
How do employers hire remotely? They use background check platforms.
How can your employer verify if you have a criminal record? Background screening platforms offer electronic identity verification to authenticate your identity that does not require you to attend a facility. If you cannot be verified electronically, you also have the option of being verified via a live video call where an agent will confirm your identity. During this process, you are fully protected by Canadian Privacy and Human Rights legislation.
The background check conducted by those platforms is referred to as a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC), Police Information Check (PIC), or a Level 2 Check. This check uses the data from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) and Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) to search the National Repository of Criminal Records and most importantly, it conducts queries into the Investigative and Identification database of CPIC.
Additionally, it provides visibility into a Nationally populated database of locally held Police Records within the Police Information Portal (PIP). All results are based on the candidate’s confirmed name and date of birth.
The Criminal Record Check provides two results:
- It will show a negative or clear, incomplete or unclear, or confirmation of declared record(s) if a self-declaration is provided;
- It will also show absolute and conditional discharges within 3 years, indictable and summary conviction records within the past five years, and also it will include current outstanding warrants and probation.
The criminal record is not disclosed to third parties, however, candidates identified by the Criminal Record Check searches are directed to attend their local police station with instructions to apply for a detailed search, and in very rare cases, you may be required to provide your fingerprints. The local police service will then determine if the flagged item is both relevant and releasable.
Working from home in the future?
Remote hiring is now being considered as a long term solution. It will become more popular as remote work is adopted by many of us. However, if you are working from your office or as a contractor or even from home at the moment and you have a criminal record, you can fill out our eligibility form to see if you qualify for a Canadian Pardon. If you are still planning to work remotely, chances are, your employer will conduct a background check.
