Home Office U-turn On Coronavirus Right To Work Checks

• Published date: 18 May 2021
• Subject Matter: Coronavirus (COVID-19), Employment and Workforce Wellbeing, Operational Impacts and Strategy
• Law Firm: Cleaver Fulton Rankin
• Author: Mr Conor McCrory

The Home Office have published a further update on right to work checks on 12 May 2021 making a complete U-turn in expecting employers to obtain physical documents such as a passport and/or BRP card to be sent for right to work checks for new hires.

Updated advice for employers carrying out right to work checks during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

The following temporary changes were made on 30 March 2020 and will now remain in place until 20 June 2021 (inclusive):

• Right to work checks can be carried out over video calls;
• Job applicants and existing workers can send scanned documents or a photo of documents for checks using email or a mobile app rather than sending originals;
• Employers should use the Employer Checking Service if a prospective or existing employee cannot provide any of the accepted documents.

Checking an individual's right to work using the temporary COVID-19 adjusted check measures

Up to and including 20 June 2021, if you are carrying out a temporary adjusted check, you must:

• Ask the worker to submit a scanned copy or a photo of their original documents via email or using a mobile app;
• Arrange a video call with the worker - ask them to hold up the original documents to the camera and check them against the digital...