Retail businesses will from Oct 1 need to follow new digital right-to-work checks (RtW) for British and Irish nationals or revert to manual in-person checks.
Adjusted RtW checks that were put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled employers to conduct RTW checks by viewing a scan of a passport or other valid RTW document.
However, from Oct 1, adjusted RtW Checks will no longer be accepted and, from that date, employees will have three ways to check a candidate’s RtW which are manual checks – view documents in person and verify their validity in accordance with government guidance, New online checking system, that can be used for UK nationals, where the employer needs to partner with a provider of digital ID certification and Home Office’s Employer Checking Service for overseas candidates.
“Employers are required by law to check that their employees have the Right to Work (RtW). Employing someone without the right to work can lead to a fine of up to £20,000 per worker,” stated BRC earliers this month.
It comes as a recent survey by Xydus – a government-certified identity service provider (IDSP) empowered to carry out the new digital checks – found that although 96 per cent of employers were aware of the impending changes, almost half admitted they were still not ready for the September 30 deadline.
“From October 1 onwards, employers will need to re-introduce original document checks. This means reverting to in-person checks and, for many employers with fully remote workforces, immediate thought needs to be given as to how this will be addressed,” global law firm DLA Piper pointed out in a report this week.
“For some, third-party Identity Service Providers may provide a solution; however, be aware that these are not a complete answer – significant limitations apply.”
The Government’s up to date guide on right to work checks is here.
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