Relief beckons for job seekers over clearance certificate requirement
The National Assembly in a past session.
Kenyans applying for government jobs could soon no longer be required to produce clearance certificates from KRA, Helb, DCI, CRB and the EACC until or unless an employment offer is guaranteed.
A Bill sponsored by nominated MP Gideon Keter has recommended abolishing the requirements for job seekers.
Yesterday, MPs unanimously supported the amendment Bill which is at the Second Reading stage.
"Previously, job seekers were faced with the responsibility of running criminal background checks on themselves so as to secure a mere job interview. However, now a cure has come through the amendment, whereby an employer shall no longer perceive job seekers as criminals before they apply for a job," Mr Keter told the Nation.
"Employers will now no longer ask for documents like Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI) Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) clearance certificates, until or unless an offer of employment is guaranteed,” explained the MP.
He added:" Once a person is guaranteed employment, they can discuss with the employer on how they would present their certificates.”
According to the lawmaker, research done by the parliamentary budget office, revealed that the institutions that clear graduates have been collecting over Sh750 million every year from job seekers.
"This is a clear indication that they have been milking job seekers, a majority who are youth. As a country we should pick some of the best practices from other jurisdictions that have relieved their graduates from the financial burden like the United Kingdom,” added Mr Keter.
Government institutions currently demand clearance certificates from the Kenya Revenue Authority, Credit Reference Bureau, Higher Education Loans Board, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and certificate of good conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
But the amendment recommends that job applicants, especially the youth, should not be subjected to the tedious process of seeking clearance.
If the Employment Amendment Bill, 2019, which was drafted by Gideon Keter, is assented by the president and becomes law, it will automatically end the practice where job seekers have to furnish potential employers with important documents when they are applying for a job.
