October 28th, 2020 | Sterling

The Technology That’s Transforming the UK Right to Work Check Experience

The UK Fraud prevention service, Cifas, report that there were  over 189,000 cases of identity fraud in 2018. With an anticipated increase in fraud of 8% year-on-year, this is fast becoming a growing concern for hiring managers everywhere. As technology makes it easier for fraudsters to deceive hiring organisations, it can seem like a challenge to decipher between fake documents and those that appear authentic. You only have to do a quick search to realise just how widespread and easy it is for individuals to obtain false identification. One such example of this was recently reported by the BBC, revealing that scammers were selling full driving licenses for £600 on social media. Fraudsters would pose as individuals with inside access to driving test centres and lull the buyers into believing the test can be booked and passed without any physical presence. In many instances, they would even go as far as creating mock images suggesting that these driving licenses were registered on the DVLA database.

Not only does this highly illegal activity risk unqualified drivers causing untold danger on the roads, it could also land the individual in hot water with a fine of up to £1000, up to six points on licenses, and possible disqualification. Whilst the fraudsters may think they are one step ahead, organisations are hitting back. Anti-fraud technology coupled with human expertise can put your business in the driving seat when it comes to tackling identity fraud. Sterling’s new UK Right to Work ID verification solution leverages identity technology and is a significant step in the right direction in the battle for employers. Learn how, here.

Why is Right to Work so Important?

Every company in the UK is legally obliged to carry out the correct Right to Work Checks, with failure to do so resulting in potential fines of up to £20,000 for each illegal worker in employment. Even worse, if an organisation knowingly employs someone without the Right to Work in the UK, they could face an unlimited fine and a potential five-year jail sentence.  By following the three-step Right to Work process  before an applicant is hired, a company can obtain a statutory excuse against liability for a civil penalty. This is done by checking employee documents which show they can in fact work in the UK. The three steps are:

• Obtain the applicant’s original documents
• Check the validity of these documents in the presence of the holder
• Copy and retain a clear copy and note the date of the check

Therefore, employers must ensure that they carry out the necessary checks on documentation to mitigate the risks. Sterling’s latest UK Right to Work ID Verification solution lightens the load for HR teams, whilst validating a candidate’s Right to Work in the UK in a seamless and compliant way. This will help to protect your organisation, reduce time to hire, and deter identity fraud in the hiring process at the same time.

Sterling’s New UK Right to Work ID Verification

Our new UK Right to Work Identity Verification is the first in a developing suite of identity solutions that leverage unique facial recognition and anti-fraud detection technology to help create safer workplaces. All of which can be seamlessly integrated at the start of a wider background screening program to support more accurate, efficient hiring decisions. This also provides candidates and employers alike with an easy, convenient, and efficient way to verify identity from anywhere, at any time. This is particularly useful when considering the rise of the remote worker, and future expansion of virtual hiring as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Elevated Candidate Experience

In years gone by, accuracy and turnaround times may have been at the top of the wish list for many organisations conducting background checks. While those remain essential considerations, it seems times may be changing as a more candidate-centric approach is taken. Research suggests almost 70% of candidates believe the way a company treats them as part of the hiring process may mirror how it treats its own employees. In today’s hiring process, candidate experience is becoming a driving force, with the potential to impact the reputation of a business as well as the bottom line. After all, a negative experience can often be amplified, particularly with the sheer volume of users accessing social media and company reviewing sites. On the other hand, this can also be the difference when recruiting the best, as an outstanding candidate experience may give your organisation the edge against competitors.

Our UK Right to Work ID Verification has the candidate in mind throughout, which provides a positive, technology-driven and people-first representation of your brand. We’ve also made it as accessible as possible allowing the candidate to verify their Right to Work ID simply and easily via a mobile device. The candidate is carefully guided through every step of the process via an easy-to-use interface. Employers can be safe in the knowledge that this solution has the potential to significantly speed up the hiring process and help to get the candidate to Day 1 in the job sooner.

Keeping up with Compliance Changes

The United Kingdom may now officially be out of the European Union as of 31 January 2020, but there is still plenty left to work out between  UK and EU officials within the current Brexit transition period, which comes to an end on  31^st December 2020. During this time, everything from trade, security, and immigration, to the dynamics of the new relationship with the EU need to be discussed and agreed upon. Our research from our ‘Background Checks 2018: UK Trends & Best Practices Report” showed that the main reasons employers conduct background checks, was to improve or meet regulatory compliance, and as negotiations progress, this is likely to be a key consideration once again.

Keeping up with developments around this may seem like a challenge, but the good news is our UK Right to Work Solution is built to automatically update and incorporate Home Office guidance relating to relevant regulatory requirements. This allows employers to be confident that hiring compliance obligations have been considered, even with Brexit in mind.

Whether you’re a FTSE 100 company or a small retailer, UK Right to Work checks are essential for any employer. Factor in a post-Brexit era, with laws and regulations that are subject to change, it’s important that employers keep pace with the latest compliance considerations, so they are not left behind.

Find out more about Sterling’s New UK Right to Work ID Verification.

This publication is for informational purposes only and nothing contained in it should be construed as legal advice. We expressly disclaim any warranty or responsibility for damages arising out this information. We encourage you to consult with legal counsel regarding your specific needs. We do not undertake any duty to update previously posted materials.