Made to sign a background check agreement

[Mr Right]

I work for a call centre and have done so for a year and a half. We were all taken into a room today where we get briefed and at the end of the brief it was thrown in that we need to have a credit check done on us. As soon as we exited the room we were handed agreements to sign then badgered until we signed them. It was for my call centre to give them to the company we call on behalf of.


When asked why they were wanting it the HR and my manager didn't have a clue why but said we have to sign it. They also said there's absolute no chance anyone will get sacked - so why ask for it?
I know it can be standard for works to do credit checks but why many years into employment (like for some people)?
A few days ago we were told hours will be cut next month and people will go then all of a sudden they do credit checks, isn't this them fishing for excuses to sack us now despite what they say?

e: The quality checking people (who do occasionally dial) were not asked to do the credit check either so I'm even more confused as to the purpose of the credit check

[Tools]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

What nature of business do your call centre deal with and what nature of business do their "client" deal with?

Recently there have been changes to the way companies are required to deal with potential blackmail/corruption, credit checks are just one procedure in place to comply with regulations and best practices.

[enquirer]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

A few days ago we were told hours will be cut next month and people will go then all of a sudden they do credit checks, isn't this them fishing for excuses to sack us now despite what they say?

The timing is certainly suspicious.

[bluebottle]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

I tend to agree with Enquirer's analysis on this one. The timing is very suspicious.

[Mr Right]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

Is it all legal given the overall scenario?

[bluebottle]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

Is it all legal given the overall scenario?

It depends on what the reasoning is behind them requiring you to provide such information. Just because an employer may say they can do it does not, in itself, mean that the law says they can do it.

[Tools]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

It rather depends on the nature of business carried out and who the client is.

[Mr Right]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

It depends on what the reasoning is behind them requiring you to provide such information. Just because an employer may say they can do it does not, in itself, mean that the law says they can do it.

They didn't give us a reason other than "the client says you have to".

It rather depends on the nature of business carried out and who the client is.

It's outbound sales of existing products (no card details taken) for a global credit card company. There IS an inbound line we can be in (not everyone is) where we do take card details but they didn't ask everyone who does the inbound line (as in, they didn't ask the two people who do quality checks on the calls despite them dealing with most of the inbound calls).

[bluebottle]

Re: Made to sign a background check agreement

If it falls within the sphere of Financial Services, then, yes, a credit check would, almost certainly, be mandatory, especially if an employee has direct contact with a prospective customer.