From 1st October the reformed legislation requires businesses recruiting to only hire applicants by meeting them face-to-face or using validation technology to check hiring documents.
Businesses that fail to implement the required change could face fines and possibly, the right to hire candidates from outside the UK. Repeat offenders may even face jail time.
During the covid pandemic, temporary changes were made to facilitate remote work for businesses continuing to hire during any of the lockdowns. In person checks were changed to digitally over video calls or an applicant sending a copy of their documents via email.
To ensure the change mitigates any risk, the government has enacted the following changes.
- UK businesses must use government certified Identity Service Providers to complete Right to Work checks digitally.
- Digital checks require candidates to submit documentary evidence to prove their right to work in the UK.
- Businesses can face a civil penalty of up to £20,000 per every non-compliant check.
- Records must be kept digitally for up to two years after any employee leaves the business.
If you need any further information for how to implement these changes please reach out to a certified IDSP as soon as possible. The list of certified providers with their contact details can be accessed through the Gov.uk website; Click here to view.
Please search for ‘Digital identity certification.’
Hospitality is a highly competitive field so by acting now, you will ensure legal compliance while providing a great onboarding experience for a new employee.
A happy employee = A more engaged employee with higher productivity and with less reason to leave your business.