GB : New background checking technology helps UK businesses avoid £20,000 fines

Published: Monday April 23, 2018

GBG launches new capability as news is announced that illegal workers cost businesses £27.5 million between January - September 2017, according to government figures

London, UK, 23 April 2018: GBG, the global specialist in identity data intelligence, has announced the enhancement of its KnowYourPeople employee screening solution, with 'Right to Work' management functionality.

GBG KnowYourPeople is a trusted online solution for HR managers to carry out background checks, including criminal record, driving licence, financial background and now Right to Work, on all candidates through just one portal.

The news comes as pressure mounts for HR teams, with recent government figures showing Right to Work civil penalties totalled £27.5 million between January and September 2017. With businesses facing fines of up to £20,000 for each worker without the right to work in the UK, it has never been more vital to ensure workers are who they say they are.

The GBG KnowYourPeople technology works by helping organisations manage candidate identity checks consistently across their organisation, in one place. It removes the time-consuming process of cross-referencing multiple role specific checks, by connecting to UK datasets from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and the broad range of datasets that enable GBG's identity verification capability.

Relevant checks can also be automated to ensure staff are re-screened on a regular basis depending on their job. Emailed prompts are provided to remind organisations to make follow-up checks of renewed documentation that enables a worker's ongoing Right to Work status.

The solution is designed to give HR Managers in all sectors the confidence that checks are carried out by hiring managers consistently across their organisation in an accurate, reliable and compliant way, with much greater efficiency and confidence than before.

Alister Humphreys, General Manager - Employ and Comply at GBG, says: 'Businesses are finding more and more that traditional methods of monitoring and managing employee screening, such as using manual spreadsheets, are inefficient and prone to human error. Right to Work checks on new recruits are a legal requirement, and failure to do this correctly not only poses risks of fines, but also organisation reputational damage and potential disruption.

'The introduction of 'Right to Work' checks to GBG's KnowYourPeople software solution is a response to demand from organisations that realise the importance of getting these checks right and getting the candidate in post faster. With the growing demands that HR professionals constantly face, we're proud to offer a solution that means they can instead focus on what they do best.'

-ENDS-

Media enquiries:

Lauren Hill, PR & Social Media Manager, GBG

E:lauren.hill@gbgplc.com

T: +44 (0) 7989 151962

About GBG

GBG is a global specialist in Identity Data Intelligence. We help organisations make decisions about the customers they serve and the people they employ.

Through our fundamental belief that the digital economy relies on everyone having access to data they can trust, GBG enables companies and governments to fight fraud and cybercrime, to improve the customer experience and help to protect the more vulnerable people in our society.

Headquartered in Chester (UK) and with people in 17 countries, GBG provides solutions to many of the world's biggest organisations, from established brands like HSBC and Zurich Insurance to disruptive newcomers such as Stripe and Plus500.

Find out more about how we use identity data intelligently at www.gbgplc.com, following us on Twitter @gbgplc and visiting our newsroom: www.gbgplc.com/newsroom.