It is essential for employers to verify that the individual they are hiring is legally authorized to work in the UK. This guide explains the process of right to work verification and how to prevent illegal work in the UK. Organizations can use placement agencies, human resources and hiring consultants, or background investigation specialists to collaborate with their payroll teams. Reference checks may include verifying the right to work in the UK, identity, and references to validate skills and experiences.
Employment agencies can also offer specialized help for specific sectors such as finance or information technology. When an employer needs information about the criminal history of an employment applicant or volunteer, they must obtain the appropriate level of verification for that person. AccessNI may provide information about a foreigner's criminal history. Asylum seekers are encouraged to volunteer while their application is being considered. The right to digital work will confirm the right of your candidates to work in the UK. This is achieved by confirming their identity after verifying the validity of their identity document and having performed a real-time facial recognition test by the candidate. To receive a standard or enhanced criminal background check certificate, a person over 16 years of age must apply to DBS or Disclosure Scotland.
Organizations are expected to meet digital verification requirements or follow the Home Office's three-step manual verification process (if applicable) and perform any follow-up checks. Organizations must have contracts with employment agencies to ensure data security and quality. As long as the employer proves that they have correctly carried out the right to work checks, they will obtain the “legal excuse” to exempt themselves from civil liability. Checks should not be carried out too far in advance of employment, as the situation of the person's right to work could change during this period. In most cases where a criminal background check is required, the offer of employment will be conditional on receiving a satisfactory criminal background check. Before processing this data, organizations will need to identify a legal basis for processing a special category condition; generally, for contracting purposes, it will be the condition that the person (the interested party) has given their explicit consent to the processing. In situations related to the Business Transfer (Employment Protection) Regulation (TUPE) 200, although the new company partially obtains the legal excuse of the previous organization against future civil liability, it is recommended that it verify the right to work of its transferred employees within 60 days of the transfer. Ukrainian citizens who do not have a valid Ukrainian passport must provide their biometric data at a visa application center to obtain entry authorization and then obtain permission to access the Ministry of the Interior's online verification service to demonstrate their right to work.
If you're sending staff or volunteers from Northern Ireland to work with children or vulnerable adults in other countries, you may need to arrange a criminal background check for each person. There is no liability for not completing a right to work verification, but if the correct checks were not performed or performed correctly, the employer will not have the right to defend himself against liability for illegal work. Organizations may want to go further and see if their business practices favor the employment of people with criminal convictions. Right-to-work controls are a vital part of the pre-employment process, as they allow employers to ensure that their candidates are legally authorized to work in the United Kingdom.
