There aren’t a lot of positives to the pandemic, many of us feel that we have effectively lost two years of our lives. But we do have some things to be thankful for, and the switch over to digital ID checks is one of them.
But why is this a good thing and what exactly has changed since April 6th?
All employers are required by law to check the identity of workers and ensure that they have the legal right to work in the UK. Called Right to Work checks, in the past they have involved the checking and copying of physical documents, requiring workers to present in person to provide the necessary passport or ID documents.
This is not only inconvenient for workers, but also time consuming for employers. On top of that, there is always a margin for human error.
The pandemic meant that the government had to quickly put measures in place to enable workers to onboard with new employers and agencies despite stay-at-home orders and announced a temporary switch over to digital ID checking. The digital Right to Work checks proved overwhelmingly popular, and a home office poll was sent out to gauge whether the temporary adjustment should remain.
The results showed a reluctance to return to face-to-face checks, with digital checking proving faster, more convenient, and more efficient than in person checks. As a result, digital ID checks are here to stay as of April 6th.
During the pandemic, Right to Work checks could be carried out in 3 ways, digitally, in person or by video (over Zoom/teams etc). From the 6th April onwards, the new rules require that all checks be either face to face, or carried out using Identity Document Validation technology (IDVT) which can only be delivered by certified providers. Video checking will no longer be acceptable.
The digital checking technology will also be used by the Disclosure and Barring Service to carry out criminality checks, providing secure and convenient screening for those needing security clearance.
Contractors – contractors should check whether their next employer is able to facilitate digital checks. They should also ensure that they have the necessary documents (such as passport or digital identity card, birth certificates are not acceptable)
Employers – From April 6th, umbrella companies, agencies and other employers will need to ensure that they have selected a certified IDVT supplier to run the new digital checks.
The shift to digital identity checking is a huge moment for the recruitment and HR industry, making placing workers a faster and more streamlined process, but like all new legislation, it won’t be without its bumps along the way as contractors and employers get used to the new system.
JMK are proud to reassure their contractors that they are prepared for the move to digital identity checks and ready to offer contractors a faster and more convenient onboarding process. As always, talk to us today if you have any questions at all!
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