When an offer of employment is made to an applicant, it is usually made on the condition that they satisfactorily pass pre-employment checks. If they fail these checks, for whatever reason, an employer is entitled to retract their initial offer.
Some employment checks are compulsory and a legal requirement for employers. Others, on the other hand, are conducted depending on the industry and nature of the role such as those required by Live Out Care London companies such as https://www.guardiancarers.co.uk/services/live-out-care. For more information as to what checks your employers need to conduct, see here: https://www.gov.uk/employers-checks-job-applicants.
Right to work in the UK
All employers are legally obligated to check whether or not every new starter (of all nationalities) is entitled to work in the UK. A new employee is required to provide documentation to employers that confirm their right to work in the UK, prior to commencing employment. These documents should be verified, and a copy taken, to keep on record in the employee’s personal file.
It is imperative that employers carry out this particular check. Failure to do so can lead to a significant fine or even a criminal conviction.
DBS check
There are also particular roles that will require employers to meet safeguarding demands. Employers can request a DBS check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to determine if an applicant has any criminal convictions that would deem them unsuitable for employment.
References
Employers will also need to ascertain whether an applicant is suitable for a position by obtaining references from previous employers, and from other professional sources. The information provided should be objective and anything discriminatory found on a reference should be disregarded.
Other checks
Employers can conduct other checks, such as verifying an employee’s driving licence, if they are employed as a driver, or conducting health checks when it is required by law. They should also request documentation to verify a candidate’s qualifications that are required for the role
Furthermore, employers may also carry out online searches and check social media accounts to confirm the suitability of a candidate. These searches must be recorded, including when and what was accessed. As the internet and use of social media continues to grow at a rapid pace, the law is still playing catch up, so make sure information that could be deemed discriminatory is not considered.
