Vulnerable Sector Check

If you are seeking employment to work with individuals from a vulnerable population (children, seniors, special needs), you will likely be required to have a criminal record check done on you before you are hired. This search is often the last hurdle before a support worker is hired by a company or agency.

The program is often referred to as the Vulnerable Sector Check, but there are actually three checks performed by name and birth: Criminal Record Check (Level 1), Criminal Record & Judicial Matters Check (Level 2), and Vulnerable Sector Check (Level 3).

The Criminal Record Check (Level 1) searches for criminal convictions and youth Criminal Justice Act findings within the disclosure period. The Criminal Record & Judicial Matters Check (Level 2) includes an additional search for outstanding entries (charges, warrants, Judicial Orders, etc.), as well as Absolute/conditional discharges (1 or 3 years).

Level 1 and Level 2 are quick checks with results typically coming within days. They cost $26.72 for employment/other and are free for volunteering with a valid volunteer letter. In my experience, it’s a mixed bag, with some companies willing to foot the bill for these searches, some splitting it with you, and some being completely fine with you going it alone:)

Agencies that are desperate to hire will sometimes conditionally hire workers who pass clearance checks while they wait for the results from the more in-depth Level 3, Vulnerable Sector Check. I remember once being hired by a group home after passing my clearance search, but it was stated that I couldn’t be left alone with clients until my Vulnerable Screening result was in.

Level 3, the Vulnerable Sector Check, additionally searches for charges from mental disorder findings, pardoned offenses under the Criminal Records Act, and non-conviction information via Exceptional Disclosure. Think of the Vulnerable screening check as not only determining whether you’re a criminal but also whether the system found you to be ‘off’ in any way. For employment, the cost is 71.72 and $26.72 for other requests. It may take a few months for Vulnerable Screening results if they are busy, or a few weeks if they are not.

It must also be noted that a search request must come from a registered agency that has a number. An individual cannot simply walk into the College St. Head Office police location and ask for a search without a referral.

Typically, the hiring agencies have the request forms. They will likely have you complete the form in their presence and verify your identity (DL, Birth Certificate, etc.) to ensure the information you provided is accurate and not just you trying to pass as one of your non-criminal friends. Once the form is completed, it will be up to you to apply online (said to be quicker) or in person at the Head Office location at 40 College St, Toronto. Note, the program mentioned here is specific to Toronto Residents, and you must be over 18.

If no match is found in the results of these checks, the form will be stamped ‘clear’. If one is found, it will be stamped ‘positive’ with the charge disclosed. It will also be left for you to download the PDF version and take it to your employer or agency.

One final word: if you already have a Record Check, most hiring companies will accept it as long as it is current within the past year. Some stickler companies may still request that you complete a new search, wanting to absolutely shut the door on hiring a criminal.

Paradoxically, things are usually not as stringent once you get hired. Some companies require annual record checks from their employees, but in my experience, the door is usually left ajar, with most companies not bothering. Perhaps the apathy comes from thinking they hired a non-criminal and that things are likely to stay that way, or from getting to know you well enough to gauge that you don’t have any criminal proclivities.