NEWS IN BRIEF

National Scandal

It’s official. Your name can now be put onto a National Staff Dismissal Register if you are dismissed for dishonesty or if you leave your job in retail while under investigation for dishonesty.

The brainchild of Action Against Business Crime (a joint venture between the Home Office and the British Retail Consortium), its purpose is to provide a “valuable service to help retailers reduce losses by dishonest staff”. Staff who, the AABC itself admits, will probably not have been convicted or even cautioned for their alleged dishonesty.

The press release explains that “The register has been developed to hold details of individuals who have been dismissed or have left employment whilst under investigation for acts of dishonesty toward the company including theft of money or merchandise, falsification or forgery of documents and causing damage to company property. This information is shared with other members of the register who are able to access the national system to search for details of an applicant, ensuring both cost saving through reduction in losses, and a more efficient recruitment process.”

Indeed.

You can download the press release and contact details of the AABC from: http://www.brc.org.uk/aabc/downloads/pressmedia/NSDR_7Apr08v2.doc