To have been “racially” profiled by HR

[Donotfitin]

I don’t have a British name (like at all), so HR assumed I needed a right to work code, so asked for one, rather than asking if I was a citizen or not.

As a UK citizen I only need to provide my passport, so the whole thing took me completely by surprise!

Its the first time in my whole life that it was assumed that I wasn’t a citizen. I’ve

It’s quite bizarre! I think it’s because they probably have never been asked for just the code.

Which is why they can’t comprehend what actually happened.

Please, please, please. Go back and read the OP one more time.

Really needed a good laugh on Monday

Do you genuinely believe the employer the OP is talking about only specifically asks all staff members for their code?

Not to evidence their right to work, specifically for their code.

Because I believe that’s as likely as folks reading the Op correctly…

We’re required to complete a specific form and ask every successful job applicant to prove their right to work including evidence of their code ( where applicable). This has been standard for years now

I'm white and have a white sounding name iyswim. I was asked if I had the right to work here.

I can completely understand why you feel it was racist though and it could well be but as someone else said go with the "I was wondering why you did that" approach.

Even if they had decided you are a foreigner based on your name, there are plenty of foreigners who have acquired British citizenship.
A foreign name, or in fact being foreign, would not have been enough to also presume your citizenship status. That's two assumptions they would have had to make there. My guess would also be that it was a mistake somewhere along the line and they were sure you needed the code and not just thought that you were a foreigner.

And when would you be given a share code?

Read the OP! How are so many people misunderstanding what the OP has said. It is mad.

Why would they be sure op needed to share a code?

Someone's messed up here, but I think it's probably quite innocent.

Yes, passport is required to prove that you can work unrestricted, I think we have all provided that when starting a new job at a reasonably big place.

If it isn't a British passport THEN you ask for the share code to prove that the applicant can work unrestricted. This will show that an applicant has a skilled worker visa, indefinite leave to remain or any other visa that will confirm they are good to work.

The question will have been asked on the application form as well I would imagine.

Even if the OP has put their place of birth or nationality as something other than British, then a British passport trumps everything.

It's a straightforward process for anyone recruiting but somehow the OP must have been flagged as not having a British passport somewhere, or you might have ticked a ' I am not a UK national ' on the application.

Oh my god. This is worse than reading the comments under a Daily Mail article...

Sorry this happened to you OP and I'd bet good money your assumption is sadly correct.

Nope. Doesn’t matter if you’re British by birth or British after acquiring citizenship. Either way you are British and there are no different circumstances or rules or processes that apply to those in the latter category.

Or, more likely, someone saw her name was something like Amaraljia Joswanilopia and assumed she wasn't a British citizen, because as we know female Brits are called "normal" stuff like Joan Bird or Beryl Biggleswade.

There was no application! I got headhunted by them.

Oh my gosh. They keep on coming.

This thread is becoming painful now. The number of people who either can’t read the OP properly, or read selectively just so they can argue against OP.

The range of names in any company and right to work requirements would suggest someone very new to it or an error. If you decided which email to send based on names over a period of time you’d get it wrong a fair bit.

I think this is more an example of unconscious bias, which is still unacceptable and their actions were inappropriate. It is very easy to ask for either option, instead of assuming which one you would have.

It might be worth mentioning, however if it is a new workplace and a small team could also inadvertently get their back up a bit. Perfectly reasonable to be annoyed at their approach and they should know better. Not sure if I would raise it yet, but wouldn't be wrong to do so if you felt it was worthwhile and would achieve improvements in their behaviour

It's a microaggression.

Royal college of nursing definition:

Microaggressions are comments or actions that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally express a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalised group, such as a racial minority.

Microaggressions leave people feeling unwelcome, belittled, hurt or excluded. You may not be aware of the term, but all of us have both experienced and committed a microaggression at some point in our lives.

They can be the result of calculated malice or, quite simply, carelessness. The 'microaggressor' is often unaware that they have done or said anything offensive. They may even have intended to be positive or complementary. But the reality is that microaggressions communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages towards a person based on an aspect of their identity.

In your case, it’s the assumption about your ethnicity and right to work based solely on your name. There is no error here, but it doesn’t have to become a big drama. Get onboarded, then politely suggest that in future they may with to use a passport or share code to confirm right-to-work status, as appropriate.

How can it be an error when it wasn’t an automated email? Yes, they’re small(ish) -in the UK- BUT the person who sent it is UK based and isn’t some sort of inexperienced HR neophyte (at least according to their LinkedIn anyway!)

The simplest conclusion is that they made an assumption based on my name, as there’s nothing else to suggest I’m not a British citizen.

Just on occasions? 😁

And the worrying thing is people flag MN as one of the best online forums in terms of SPaG, education level of members, etc.

All employers are legally obliged to carry verify staff have a right to work in the UK. Big fines for not doing it or not doing it properly.

UK citizens can prove with a passport or, if you've not got one, other documents.

None UK need share codes or similar.

Not read whole thread. @Donotfitin were you British by birth or was citizenship taken later in life? Do you look or sound as though you might be non UK?

Before Brexit there were huge numbers of EU people in Northampton some of whom had UK citizenship some did not.

At worst your employer has made a mistake and perhaps adopted a stereotype,

Explain the situation and if you're genuinely upset explain why. If you're not taken seriously formalise it as a grievance but beware of burning capital/goodwill you might need later.

People will fall over themselves to justify this type of behaviour.

OMG…. They could have asked for both, simples!

I quite agree with you, it doesn't matter the means by which a British or Irish passport has been obtained, anyone with one of those passports does not need to provide a share code.

The point I was making though was to answer the question from the pp.

That there is a specific set of circumstances where it is possible for a person with a British passport to obtain a share code.