Employer's Guide to New Zealand Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Check

Employer's Guide to New Zealand Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Check

For New Zealand employers, a key component of background screening is often the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Criminal Record Check. This check can help provide a clear picture of a candidate’s criminal records history, which in turn may help support an employer’s overall goal of a safe and trustworthy workplace.

Therefore, you can help improve your recruitment efficiency by understanding what an MOJ Criminal Record Check entails, how it works, and the best way to manage the process. Our guide will walk you through the specifics of the MOJ check and show you how a modern approach can streamline your onboarding while also safeguarding your business and your employees.

What Does a New Zealand Criminal Record Check Include?

A New Zealand Criminal Record Check, also known as a Criminal Conviction History report, is designed to give employers critical information of an individual's criminal records history. This report, sourced directly from the Ministry of Justice, includes disclosable criminal and traffic convictions. It's also important to note what this check does not report:

• Information on pending charges
• Infringements (such as parking tickets)
• Charges where a person was not convicted

The information provided is governed by the New Zealand Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 (“the Act”), which allows individuals to keep certain historical convictions private under specific conditions.

Understanding the nuances of the Act can be crucial for employers, as it helps to ensure they’re using background check information correctly and fairly.

How New Technology Is Changing Processing Time

Historically, obtaining a New Zealand Criminal Record Check was a manual, time-consuming process involving paper forms, mail, and lengthy waiting periods. Currently, the Ministry of Justice states that while they endeavour to respond within 20 working days, around 90% of individual requests are completed in under a week. However, for organisations that need to process checks in high volumes, the traditional method can create a significant bottleneck in the recruitment pipeline. This is where modern, online solutions have made a major impact.

By leveraging digital identity verification and direct integrations, these services can significantly reduce the MOJ criminal record check processing time, allowing employers to receive results within a matter of days rather than weeks. This shift towards a paperless, automated process is a game-changer helping employers secure the top talent they need and mitigating risk of candidate drop out.

MOJ Criminal Record Check vs. Police Vetting Check and the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004

An MOJ Criminal Record Check is a more general-purpose check suitable for any role and only reveals a person's criminal conviction history. In contrast, a Police Vetting check is a much more comprehensive check reserved for roles involving interacting with children or vulnerable populations, and it may also include non-conviction information like pending charges or interactions with the police.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act allows individuals to have certain convictions erased from their record after a period of seven years if they meet specific criteria, which means those convictions will not appear on a standard MOJ check.

The Critical Role of Accuracy and Compliance

When performing a criminal records check, it’s paramount for employers to safeguard accuracy and compliance. The information must be sourced directly and securely from the MOJ. Using a trusted third-party service provider directly integrated with the MOJ helps to ensure a smooth process.

This also helps you navigate the legal requirements of collecting and storing sensitive personal information, which is a key part of your compliance obligations under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

An online platform providing a full auditable trail of information of the process and storing data securely can significantly mitigate risks associated with compliance with the Act.

Selecting the Right Partner for Your Screening Process

Choosing the right partner for your Ministry of Justice Criminal Records Checks can have a major impact on your hiring process. National Crime Check’s service offering makes it simple to screen with MOJ Criminal Record Check, providing employers with real-time tracking, secure digital storage, and a commitment to data privacy. These offerings help by providing a service that is both efficient and legally compliant.

An ideal service provider will offer an easy-to-use, fully online platform minimising administrative burden for both your team and your candidates. The platform should be designed for businesses conducting a high volume of checks and should integrate seamlessly into your existing recruitment workflow. For example, as a MOJ third-party provider, National Crime Check offers streamlined and efficient MOJ check services.

Conclusion

Navigating the complexities of background checks is a critical part of a modern recruitment strategy. By understanding the role of the MOJ Criminal Record Check and leveraging new technology, New Zealand employers can build a safer and more efficient hiring process.

National Crime Check offers a smart solution to simplify the MOJ Criminal Record Check process, providing critical information about a candidate's criminal history efficiently. Our platform is designed to streamline recruitment by integrating this check and other compliance solutions into a user-friendly dashboard. To learn more about how National Crime Check takes charge of your MOJ Checks, contact us here.