This week, our Compliance and Customer Service Team Leaders attended an insightful workshop on maintaining effective right to work policies and preventing illegal working. At Stonebridge, we prioritise staying informed about legislative changes and best practices throughout our business, especially in areas where insufficient due diligence could put our supply chain at risk.
In today's fast-paced work environment, compliance with right to work regulations is more critical than ever. Last year, the Minister for Immigration highlighted that “There is no excuse for not conducting the appropriate checks, and those who breach these regulations will face significantly tougher penalties.”
Last Augusts reports revealed that immigration enforcement activities, especially those targeting illegal working, reached their highest levels since 2019, showing a 50% increase compared to the previous year. As a result of these intensified efforts, more arrests were made in 2023 than throughout the entire year of 2022.
As we move towards the last quarter of 2024, it will be interesting to see how the increased financial penalties for non-compliance have since affected these findings. It's important to keep these statistics in mind to ensure we remain committed to maintaining compliance across our supply chain.
Why Are Right to Work Checks Important?
Staying Legally Compliant: Conducting proper checks prevents costly penalties, with fines reaching up to £45,000 for a first offense and £60,000 for subsequent breaches.
Promoting Fairness in the Workplace: Verifying the right to work for all employees helps maintain fairness and equality across the workforce.
Protecting Reputation: Failing to maintain accurate right to work records can lead to criminal charges, severely damaging the reputation of businesses and partners within the supply chain.
At Stonebridge, we prioritise compliance and are proud to maintain a culture of accountability for our clients. Our thorough right to work checks help us avoid potential issues and promote a more inclusive workplace.
We will be sharing more detailed guidance in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about compliance in this area, please don’t hesitate to contact our compliance team at compliance@sbcontracting.co.uk. We’re here to help!
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