Does a potential employee have to reveal their criminal record?
It depends.
Some employers may ask prospective employees about their criminal record or ask them to undergo a security check on their criminal history including criminal convictions. Employees should not deceive or mislead an employer or potential employer. However, the 'clean slate' law means that employees are allowed to not disclose some offences.
The 'clean slate' law enables someone who meets certain eligibility criteria to answer a question asked about his or her convictions or criminal record by stating that he or she has no criminal record. Information on the 'clean slate' law is available on the Ministry of Justice website.
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Date Modified: Monday, December 06, 2010
Disclaimer: The content on this website covers common problems. It will not answer every question
and should not be used as a substitute for legislation or legal advice. State sector employers
and employees may be affected by some differences in the laws that apply to them (e.g. State
Sector Act 1988). The Department of Labour takes no responsibility for the results of any actions taken
on the basis of information on this website, nor for any errors or omissions.
