How important is having 5yrs address history?

[wiskey]

One of the cleaners at work is on a 10wk contract through Manpower, he went for a permanent position with Hotel Services and everything was great with the application/interview until it came to him providing 3yrs previous addresses, he's been on the streets for some time and so doesn't have continuous addresses. The woman at Manpower got him onto their books by using her home address for him as she took a punt on him (which is a great thing to do imo), he can keep temping for them as long as he needs to, they rate him very highly and he's enthusiastic, polite and really hard working. It just seems really wrong to me that despite him proving his worth on the job something so trivial as where he's lived would screw up his chances of permanent employment here.

 

[Pickman's model]

i think if someone's got themselves off the streets and into work they should get the benefit of the doubt: although i wouldn't be surprised if he could show which addresses he's kipped outside.

 

[quimcunx]

I don't understand why any company would need* 5 years address history to give someone a job, unless it was in a senior financial position.

Or even 'need' it.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I'm sure he must have a friend who he stayed with during those periods.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

I don't understand why any company would need* 5 years address history to give someone a job, unless it was in a senior financial position.

Or even 'need' it.

It's needed routinely for CRB or whatever it's called now.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

It's needed routinely for CRB or whatever it's called now.

DBS guidance is it's not essential, and tells you how you should go about a CRB if you have had an 'unusual address' (e.g. travelling, no fixed abode, outside the UK etc) - more here.

Whether the HR types can cope with thinking that far rather than just saying no because it's too difficult, I couldn't say...

I'm a bit fuzzy on the employment rights angle here. I don't think that being (or having been) of no fixed abode is a 'protected characteristic' under equalities law, so don't think it's specifically illegal to discriminate here.

I would however have thought that a large organisation ought to have a policy on this - they must have had job applicants who have been travelling for a while (although suppose a 'gap yah' type might get away with giving parents' address) - may need bumping up a level or two with the HR people.

Alternatively, the various voluntary organisations out there who help homeless people might have an angle on this that i've not been able to find in a quick bit of web searching.

 

[wiskey]

It's a children's hospital, he passed his D&B with no issues... The hospital just said with no previous addresses he couldn't have a permanent job.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Make up an address in another country, how are they going to check?

 

[purenarcotic]

Is he in a union? If he's passed his DBS I don't understand why he couldn't have a full time job, that seems really out of order and just feels dodgy.

Might be worth him checking with the ACAS helpline?

 

[alan_]

I think it sounds like a credit check, where anyone who pays can see the history of another. The address thing is to check the voters register which is often the first port of call to any check. Non appearance on that often finishes the check there and then. The reason for five years, it is usually six, is because that is how long people can still search you out to claim off you or whatever.

ETA this check is often done for reasons that have nothing to do with obtaining credit, rather just another box that needs ticked