Whilst right to work checks for new hires have been a staple within the recruitment sector for almost two decades, there has been a recent change to the law which has gone a little under the radar, but effects all employers. Digital right to work checks are now a requirement for all UK and Irish passport holders when applying for employment.
A little background…
Back in 2020, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and mandated working from home, the UK government adjusted the law surrounding right to work checks. Remote checks were allowed via video call, with employers able to accept scanned/photo copies of identity documents by email. Post-lockdown, and as the country returned to office working, there was to be a requirement to return to ‘in person’ identity checks. However, with many people continuing to work remotely, this requirement was deemed to be rather unworkable.
Lobbied by the recruitment industry and trade association the REC, the government have since U-turned on this and made digital right to work checks a permanent alternative to in-person checks. A number of Identity Service Providers, known as IDSP’s have been granted licenses to work with the Home Office. These providers have been offering their services to recruiters and employers alike, to enable remote services to be set up from 1st October 2022.
Why should I be using an IDSP?
There are many benefits to working with an IDSP to enable digital right to work checks to be carried out. Firstly, many employers continue to work remotely, so making time to meet with candidates in person is not always logistically feasible. This hurdle is made somewhat larger when you factor in our current record-breaking level of employment, making it a real challenge for people to take time out of work to provide identity documentation, in addition to taking time to attend job interviews.
Digital right to work checks enable jobseekers to prove their identity via a secure portal, easily accessed from their mobile device. Uploading documents (usually just a passport) and taking a selfie takes as long as…. taking a photo of a passport and taking a selfie! It is quick, easy, and the documentation is instantly cross-referenced against Home Office data, with a report provided to an employer within minutes.
Penalties for employers and recruiters who choose not to process right to work checks are now upwards of £20,000. Certainly there is an excellent ‘business case’ for putting robust checks into place, as well as the obvious security benefits. In person checks are still allowed, but it is anticipated that digital checks will make up the majority of pre-employment screening moving forward.
As a leading recruitment firm, Plus One have partnered with a market-leading IDSP. Therefore from 1st October 2022, we will be processing digital right to work checks for all our clients. Whilst this is a chargeable service, no additional cost will be passed to our clients. You can therefore be assured that any candidate that you employ or hire via Plus One, will have been fully screened for right to work.
For more information about digital right to work checks or any other recruitment-related subject, please feel free to speak with our team.
