Justis launches VOG check

Online tool provides insight into chances of obtaining a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag)

Anyone who needs a Certificate of Conduct (VOG) for a job or work placement will now be able to go online to see how likely they are to obtain one. The VOG check uses a series of questions to establish whether someone has a high, average or low chance of obtaining a VOG in various industries and sectors - now and in the future. The VOG check is an initiative of the screening authority Justis, which is part of the Ministry of Justice and Security. Justis hopes that this tool will eliminate any unnecessary concerns people might have that their VOG applications will be rejected.

Some 1.2 million people apply for a VOG every year. Justis is the only organisation in the Netherlands that is authorised to issue VOGs to these people. Research shows that some of these applicants (young people and individuals with a criminal record, for example) find the process to be very stressful. Exactly what is a VOG? What factors are taken into consideration when assessing applications? Who or what determines whether or not an applicant is granted a VOG? People often feel that they have very little chance of obtaining a VOG. Some decide against applying for one altogether, because they are afraid of being rejected. This is regrettable, as only a small percentage of VOG applications are refused: just 0.33% in 2019. Justis has developed the VOG check with the aim of correcting misunderstandings about the VOG.

Criminal record? A VOG is still possible

Anyone who opens the new VOG check will start by answering a series of questions: How old are you? In which sector or industry do you want to work? Do you have a criminal record? The visitor’s chances of obtaining a VOG will then be displayed on the screen. If someone has a criminal record, his/her chances will be broken down per sector/industry (hospitality, child care, security, etc.). By doing this, the VOG check shows that a low chance of a VOG in one sector/industry does not automatically mean that the same low chance applies across the board. Users of the check will also see when their chances of obtaining a VOG in certain sectors/industries will improve in the future. Visitors will remain anonymous while using the check; their privacy is guaranteed.

The VOG check is a low-threshold method of showing that a criminal record will not necessarily prevent someone from obtaining a VOG. The VOG helps to make society safer, while also promoting resocialisation: even people with a criminal record stand a chance of obtaining a VOG and, as such, a better life with new prospects

More online innovation

The VOG check is part of a wider range of resources that Justis uses to provide better information and create more transparency about the VOG. The introduction of the check has been timed to coincide with the launch of a new version of the website about the VOG, which has been developed with the input of various client groups. See the results on: www.justis.nl/vog.