- Heather McGee
Why should you embrace Digital Right to Work checks in your background checking process?
Regardless of the industry you work in, Right to Work checks are a legal requirement for all UK employers. It is an employer’s responsibility to prevent illegal working, and they therefore must check that their applicant is legally permitted to work in the United Kingdom before employment starts. A Right to Work check involves seeing and checking relevant identity documents to ensure that the individual is not disqualified from working in the role due to their immigration status.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, adjustments were made to Right to Work checks, amending the guidance to enable checks to be performed via video call. This, of course, was a necessary adjustment as employers were unable to physically check ID documents at that time.
The amended guidance proved extremely popular among HR and recruitment teams, who saw an uptick in productivity and efficiency, and a faster time-to-hire, largely due to the temporary adjustments made to these checks.
The result? The Home Office made permanent amendments to the guidance in 2022, enabling employers to digitally verify their applicants’ right to work, therefore eliminating the need to complete face-to-face checks.
This check is a vital component of an employer’s vetting process, and Digital Right to Work Checks have become increasingly popular since their implementation. So, why should you embrace them?
Reduce the risk of fraud
Using a digital ID verification process is a more secure way to ensure fraudulent documents are identified and don’t slip through the net.
Speed up your time-to-hire
By removing the need to complete manual in-person checks, you can get your new hires into work faster as you don’t need to physically meet them before they start working for you.
Increase talent pool
The rise of remote working post-Covid-19 means it’s commonplace to hire staff you haven’t met in person. Digital Right to Work Checks help to enable this process by removing the previous geographical barrier of having to meet remote workers in person to complete the check.
Candidate Experience
A slick and secure digital system creates a great candidate experience, which also allows them to provide their identity documents in their own time. In addition, by combining all of your required checks into one central platform, your applicants only have to enter their details once in order to trigger their checks to get underway, delivering a better experience for them.
Safe and Secure
Manual verification creates a lot of paperwork which must be handled and stored securely. By using a digital method all sensitive information is handled and stored online, eliminating the need for paperwork.
Remain Compliant
By using a registered Identity Service Provider (IDSP) organisations can be assured they are completing Home Office approved checks and remain compliant with their guidance.
So, how can you get started with your Digital Right to Work Checks?
With VettingGateway you can carry out your Digital Right to Work checks as well as all your other employee background checks in one central online platform. A results report is sent back to the platform within minutes after an applicant has completed their check.
Our UK Digital Right to Work solution can also be carried out on non-UK nationals by using the Sharecode function. Applicants are able to use a wide range of identity documents to prove their right of work status, even if they do not have a UK Passport, by using alternative documents including; Irish Passport Card, Birth or Adoption Certificate, Immigration Status Document and many more. If you require any further information on this, please contact us here.
Ready to get started with your Digital Right to Work checks? Simply book a demo with a team member to find out more about centralising all your background checks into one platform.
