According to the Crime Statistics Agency, family violence increased by 9.4 percent in 2020 to 92,521 in Victoria, anticipated by “family stresses.” In addition, drug offenses increased by 20 percent, sex offenses by 10.2 percent, and thousands of fines were issued for “breaches of health directives.” This “pressure cooker environment” has been created by COVID-19 lockdowns that have forced employees to work from home, and as employees are called back to work, employers may not know of any personal or criminal events that may have taken place. Criminal checks only reflect the police records at the time of release, so it’s important to regularly continue to re-screen employees who are part of an employer’s due diligence. Although the Australian Human Rights Commission prohibits discrimination on the basis of a criminal record, employers can try to prove that the inherent requirements are essential to the position.
