As a Sidekick, you may be required to pass a Police Check or Criminal History check to work in particular roles or with certain businesses.
In Australia, a National Police Check is required to work in healthcare, government sectors, driving roles, and some warehousing and hospitality roles.
How do I get a National Police Check?
If you do not have a valid police check, you can lodge one through National Crime Check. Ensure you select the ‘Employment Check’ (Cost: $49.00) and follow the steps to complete the required information. Results usually take 1-2 business days to be processed.
Please note: Sidekicker does not reimburse the cost of police checks.
How do I upload my Police Check to my Sidekicker profile?
If you completed your police check using the above link, Sidekicker will receive a copy of your results directly from National Crime Check and will upload it to your profile for you.
Alternatively, if you already have a police check or opted to obtain one through a different provider, you can upload a copy of your results to your Sidekicker profile by following these steps:
Click here to log in and access your certificates.
Click on ‘National Police Check’ to upload your document
How long is my National Police Check valid?
From the date of submission, Sidekicker recognises police checks for:
3 years for healthcare workers
12 months for other industries
You will receive an email 1 month prior to your police check expiry date as a reminder to complete a new check.
Commonwealth / Other Commonwealth Purpose Checks
A “Commonwealth” or “Other Commonwealth Purpose” check is typically for federal government roles or specific high‑trust positions. It is not usually suitable for standard paid employment. For most jobs outside government, you should select Employment as the purpose to ensure the certificate meets employer requirements.
Volunteer Checks Are Not Accepted for Paid Work
When you’re engaging in paid work through Sidekicker (or with any employer), the law and industry standards require a police check that is specifically issued for employment purposes, not a volunteer role.
A “volunteer police check” is designed for unpaid roles, and is not valid for paid employment.
What this means for you
If your police check states it was issued for a volunteer role, it cannot be accepted by Sidekicker for paid shifts.
Before starting any paid assignment, you must hold a police check marked as an Employment Check (or similar wording) indicating it is valid for paid employment.
If you currently hold only a volunteer-type check, you will need to apply for and upload a new employment police check.
Using a volunteer check in place of an employment check may lead to your application or shifts being delayed, and could affect your eligibility to work.
By ensuring the correct type of police check is in place, we protect you, your clients, and the organisations you work with, making sure all compliance requirements are met, and that your work engagements through Sidekicker proceed smoothly.
If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to reach out via the chat or via your Sidekicker app by clicking 'Get help' - we are always happy to help!