Hotel and Accommodation worker police checks in Australia

Hotel and accommodation workers in Australia work in various positions, including front desk clerks, housekeeping staff, bartenders, restaurant workers, and maintenance workers. They are responsible for providing guests with high-quality service and ensuring the smooth operation of hotels, motels, resorts and other accommodation facilities.

Hotel and accommodation workers in Australia are protected by various labour laws and regulations, including the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) which sets minimum standards for wages and working conditions and the National Employment Standards.

These workers typically have a high school to college education and receive on-the-job training to develop the skills necessary to perform their duties. Some positions, such as those in management or administration, may require additional education or certification.

Due to the sensitive nature of some jobs, hotel and accommodation workers may need to undergo police checks as part of the recruitment process.

A police check, also known as a nationally coordinated criminal history check (NCCHC), is a process that involves conducting a background check on an individual to determine if they have a disclosable criminal record. The purpose of a police check is to help decision makers assess an individual's suitability for a specific role or activity.

Hotel and accommodation workers may undergo police checks as a part of their employment screening process. This is to ensure the safety and security of guests, as well as to protect the reputation of the hotel or accommodation facility.

In the hospitality industry, employees often have direct contact with guests and access to sensitive areas such as rooms, storage and financial information. By conducting background checks, decision makers can assess an individual's suitability for the role and ensure that there are no red flags in their criminal history that could pose a risk to guests or the facility.

In some cases, hotel and accommodation workers may also be required to undergo police checks by law, such as when working with the elderly in an aged care setting.

In Australia, nationally coordinated criminal history checks are coordinated via the ACIC and are recognised nationally. ACIC works with accredited bodies and several police agencies to make police checking services accessible to Australians.

Here are the steps involved in a police check application:

The application process involves submitting information and ID’s. You must also upload four identification documents as part of the process. They are:

• ✔ One commencement of ID document
• ✔ One primary use in the community document
• ✔ Two secondary use in the community documents
• ✔ A biometric link that confirms your identity to the ID’s that are provided

You will also have to pay an associated fee. ACIC accredited agencies charge different rates. For instance, Australian National Character Check (ANCC) charges $52.90 + GST per police check.

After applying, your police checking provider will review your documents to confirm their validity before forwarding your application details to the National Police Checking Service.

The system runs a name-matching algorithm and searches its databases for any criminal history information related to the individual.

The system instantly returns a 'no disclosable court outcome (NDCO)' if it doesn't find one. If it does find one, the system forwards those potential matches to the appropriate police agencies for manual verification. Here, the police agencies ensure that those identified criminal records belong to the applicant. Once that's confirmed, they apply the spent conviction legislation and information release policies to determine which records are releasable on the check result before returning it to the police check provider.

Your police check provider will generally notify you once they get your check result. A police check can be obtained online within any state or territory. For example, a police check can be obtained in NSW from your computer.

The processing time for a police check can vary. But generally, about 70% of applications are processed within 24 hours. However, the other 30% may return a potential match that must be manually verified, which can take longer than two weeks.

The frequency of police check renewals depends on the specific requirements of the employer or industry regulations. Some employers may require an annual police check, while others may only need one at the time of hire.

ANCC is Australia's leading employment background check provider reputed for providing timely, efficient and affordable services. Our service also covers police checks for hotel and accommodation workers.

Are you looking to be a hotel or accommodation worker in Australia? You may need a police check and ANCC can help you seamlessly get one today. Our platform makes it easy to order and track your police check application in real-time. Give us a try today!

HR managers can now rely on ANCC's business portal to manage bulk police applications for aspiring hotel and accommodation workers. This portal makes it easy to track and monitor multiple applications in real-time, ensuring you have the information needed to make good hiring decisions. All businesses are subject to a process of approval prior to being granted access to the ANCC Business Portal.