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

Sorry read a bit more. Just email and give them your passport details.

They ask for a code so they? Are you sure about that? Are you in HR?

To quote @Megifer , it looks like the evening shift have turned up early.

"My work asks everyone this."

So, your work asks everyone if they have a share code that only people who do not have a British or Irish passport can obtain?

Does your work not understand that British and Irish people cannot obtain this share code?

Did you read my other post? It is asked of everyone now. We have to check in appraisals as well.

What do you ask for exactly?

Thank you, I now realise that what I said was wrong.

I was thinking about somebody who got British citizenship before eVisas became a thing. A UKVI account, as I understand it, only links to an eVisa, so people who had come to the UK, then got ILR and citizenship before the existence of eVisas wouldn't be able to get a UKVI account - as far as I understand things.

A share code is not asked of everyone. I think you have misunderstood what it is

So, I'm confused here. Are you talking about a share code here? Again, British and Irish citizens cannot obtain a share code.

Although, I would agree that it is good practice to regularly check that foreign citizens that your company employ still have the right to work for your company.

However, I am sure it is likely that your HR records also indicate which employees have a work (or similar) visa and which do not require such a visa.

It seems to me quite absurd that your company requires British and Irish citizens to bring their passport or birth certificate to each appraisal.

You might not be aware of this but it is very difficult, indeed practically impossible, to lose your citizenship. This normally only occurs in the case of suspected terrorists or those engaged in serious organised crime and those who fraudulently obtained citizenship.

As long as your British or Irish employees do not hold other passports and are not terrorists or involved in international drug cartels then they are not going to lose their citizenship from one year to the next.

And, in any event, this will all be out in the open before you have your annual appraisal with them.

So just why are your company demanding to see the passport or brith certificate of your British employees every year? I really don't understand this.

Right to work documentation. There is a whole section on it, in recruitment then appraisal. We have to really scrutinise the documents. I thought the rules must of changed but the fines are £60000 so it is understandable.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Sorry

People move around the organisation though so I can see why they have these checks.

but the point of the previous poster remains…. A British citizen remains a British citizen, so why would you continue to check their documents?

I don’t make the rules.

I am sorry but.

Luckily. As person who, from the sound of your posts, deals with RTW you should know share codes OP is talking about and so get the issue OP is talking about.
It is quite concerning if not

Checking right to work documentation and asking specifically for a share code is different though

It’s not racist to see a Nigerian name and hazard a 90% correct guess they won’t be a British citizen. Equally, I have seen Jacks and Lucys who have SCs, but it’s a quick litmus test when we get a high % of foreign applicants…

But that's simply not true. You only have to check the right to work at the initial employment. If the person has ILR or British citizenship, that's it, you never have to do the check again.

Even for those on visas you only have to make a note of the end date of the visa and follow up with a new check at that point. There is nothing in the rules about doing follow up checks at appraisal stage.. the requirement to check those on visas every 12 months ended about a decade ago.

I mean that’s fine, but just take action based on your assumptions.

I'm sorry, racist is exactly what that is. You have absolutely no idea of someone's history or their immigration background. Even if they were born outside of the UK you have no idea what their immigration status is now. That's why the right to work tests apply across the board.. just ask every single candidate, and ask them to provide a document from the government lists.

Jesus the absolute bollocks and racism on this thread. There are loads of British citizens that descend from all sorts of backgrounds, Nigerian included. All the more so if you live in London. It is fundamental to any sort of HR role to not demonstrate such obvious bias towards job applicants. HR 101

Whoa. I first read this thread at 1pm and it was full of utter gaslighting to the OP. Several hours and pages later the same comments are being repeated.

I get that people like to twist and turn away from the realities of racism in this country (because this is how racism shows up in the UK. Subtle othering and microagressions to remind you that you're different) but crikey the reading comprehension is shocking. I read a thread a couple of days ago where people were claiming mumsnetters were an intelligent bunch 😂

I think the HR person in OP’s work probably made an assumption which isn’t great but maybe they had some people before with similar names who did need a code, were having a bad day or even cut and pasted half an email, who knows. Unless the OP politely mentions that they felt peeved the HR person will never change. HR people are usually a baffling mix of politically correct, complete computer says no and two faced corporate henchmen so OP will never really know anyway. I used to watch the The Office and wonder why Michael always hated HR but now I am older I totally get why.

For goodness sake, this is not difficult:

1. British Citizen you supply passport. If you are unable to then birth certificate and NI proof.
2. Non-UK you provide a Share Code.

So the HR were entirely wrong. It’s a simple thing. You ask them to provide Right to Work and provide guidance on what that would be for different circumstances. You don’t just assume based on someone’s name!

This thread is beautiful example of the (dire) literacy levels in the UK.

"It’s not racist to see a Nigerian name and hazard a 90% correct guess they won’t be a British citizen."

You're wrong. It is entirely racist to do that.

However, as long as you were to send out an email to everybody, neutrally asking them to supply evidence of their right to work in the UK then that would be fine, regardless of your racist attitudes.

But, as in this case, if you were to send everyone with a 'Nigerian' name an email requesting a share code, simply because they had a 'Nigerian' name then, yes, that would fall under race discrimination in this country.