As an employer, it is your responsibility to exercise due diligence when hiring a social worker or social service worker. Individuals who use the protected titles illegally or who falsely present themselves as a social worker or social service worker are considered unregulated practitioners and put the public at risk. Always check the Online Register before hiring.
Here are some tips on what to do if you are in the hiring process and think that an individual is misleading you about their registration status with the College.
Q: A job applicant told us they were registered with the College but we could not find them on the Online Register. We will not be hiring this individual, but should I contact the College?
A: Yes, contact the College to let us know if a job applicant is falsely presenting themselves as a social worker or social service worker, even if you do not hire them. This individual may attempt to get a job with another organization, which can put the public at risk.
Q: A job applicant told us they were listed under a different name on the Online Register than the name they gave us. Since we cannot verify if they are registered, we will not be hiring this individual. Should I contact the College?
A: Yes, contact the College. The College often receives notices of individuals using false names during and after the hiring process. If an individual is impersonating a College registrant, this is a serious issue that needs to be investigated immediately. Additionally, as a reminder, registrants are required to practise using the name they used to register with the College. This is required by law and it is also an important part of the College’s public protection mandate, as it ensures that service users can access information about the registrant on the Online Register. It is an act of professional misconduct to practise using a name that is different than the name in the Online Register.
Q: A job applicant has a degree in social work or diploma in social service work and is presenting themselves as a social worker or social service worker even though they are not registered with the College. Should I contact the College?
A: Yes, contact the College. Individuals who have a degree in social work or a diploma in social service work can list or refer to their degree or diploma (for example: Sarah Doe, Bachelor of Social Work; John Smith, Diploma in Social Service Work). However, they cannot use any of the protected titles unless they are registered with the College. By contacting the College about such individuals, we can explain the use of protected titles to them.
Q: We are thinking of hiring someone who has applied to the College but is not yet registered. Can they use the title of social worker or social service worker while they are in the process of registering?
A: Individuals who have applied to the College but are not yet registered cannot use any of the protected titles, even if they add the word “applicant” or “qualifying” after the title. They can, however, list their educational qualifications, as mentioned in the question above. If your potential employee has applied to the College, they can contact the Registration Department for an update on the status of their application.
Q: What happens after I report the misuse of protected titles to the College?
A: When you report the misuse of protected titles to the College, College staff will investigate. Based on their findings, they may take one or more of the following actions:
- Contact the individual to explain that they cannot use the protected titles if they are not registered.
- Send the individual a cease and desist letter demanding that they stop practising as a social worker or social service worker and to stop using the title illegally.
- Ask the individual to sign an undertaking stating that they will stop the unauthorized activity.
In serious cases or where initial steps are not successful, the College may post the name of the unregulated practitioner on its website and use its authority under the College’s governing legislation to seek injunctions in Superior Court, or to prosecute the unregulated practitioner in provincial offences court.
Contact the College’s Title Protection team at titleprotection@ocswssw.org to report a concern with a job applicant.