During the 6-month PVN period in which an employee demonstrates that their application, administrative review, or appeal has been granted a residence permit, employers must maintain a legal excuse by performing a verification of the right to work in the normal manner. When taking over a company, there are no guarantees that the employees transferred with TUPE have been completely background checked or meet the standards of the new company. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out background checks after the transfer of TUPE. According to the Ministry of the Interior's Guide, employers are recommended to perform a new verification of the right to work within 60 days of the transfer of the company and employees under TUPE.
Can employers check the background of current employees? The answer is yes, they can do this, as long as they have the right consent from the employee, that they are not breaking any laws, and that they share their findings with the employee if they intend to take any other action. Employers must verify that a job seeker can work for them in the UK before hiring them. They should ask to see the applicant's original documents. Employers can no longer accept biometric cards or residence permits.
Instead, they should ask for a shared code. They should read the guide on how to carry out right to work verifications and what documents they can accept. They can also contact the Ministry of the Interior. Employers must advertise the position and interview candidates. They can use a recruitment agency to do this or do it themselves.
Simple identity checks can be carried out in as little as a few hours, but a worldwide criminal background check, for example, can take several weeks. However, if the consent form states that the employee only allows them to perform the background check once, or if local laws dictate that employees are informed each time their background checks are checked, employers must request consent again. For EU citizens who currently reside in the UK and have an established or pre-established status, employers must follow a defined process for right to work checks (using an online shared code provided by the candidate). Employers may be surprised to learn during bidding for projects that certain clients (often government contracts) require them to undergo specific employee background checks (such as a DBS check) in order to be considered for a contract. Once employers have done the background check and discovered something incriminating against their employee that's beyond reasonable doubt, it's important to reveal these results to them before taking any action against them.
The points to consider are requirements for insurance providers, state and national laws, and cost associated with performing these background checks. Employers can implement a screening program that allows them to regularly monitor background check requirements. Conducting regular background checks also helps them avoid uncomfortable confrontations with their employees by requesting their consent for background checks. This new visa applies to all employees who are EU citizens who work for them but who do not reside in the UK. If employees know that employers would perform regular background checks, not only will they strive to avoid any activity that could generate red flags during such checks, but they will also not negatively perceive employers' decision to perform a background check on them. Regular background checks help employers ensure that all of their employees are always performing at their maximum potential and that they are not involved in any activity that could harm their company or their reputation in the industry.
This is because employers now only need to track employee activities since their previous verification so that verification is incremental. This demonstrates the value of pre-promotion background checks, which act as a second strategic checkpoint to detect any fraudulent resume that has crept into their network during pre-employment evaluation. In some cases, drafting this consent form gives employers permission to perform as many background checks as necessary when necessary.