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

I think you need to research the definition of racist. Because it's exactly what it this email is. An assumption, and an action taken, purely based on (apparent) race

And of course, a Nigerian surname could just as easily be gained by a British woman marrying a Nigerian.

😂😂😂😂😂
You people no dey tire ooooo!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

"And of course, a Nigerian surname could just as easily be gained by a British woman marrying a Nigerian."

Indeed. If anybody remembers the case of Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife, one of the witnesses for NHS Fife was a person by the name of Mrs Isla Bumba, the Equality & Human Rights Lead Officer.

Isla (nee McLeod) married a man from Angola by the name of Lino Bumba.

I am not sure if Mr Bumba has ILR yet, but Mrs Bumba "I don't what sex I am" was born in Scotland.

This is normal practice on applying for jobs I’m watching my dc go through it

No it isn't and no you are not.

Not quite.

Irish citizens have, by virtue of the CTA, a right to work in the UK. An Irish citizen need only provide proof of citizenship.

It's never ending...

(Read the OP again)

The point is that the OP was probably assumed to be foreign and asked directly for a code as based on her name it was assumed that she did not have a British passport. Turning that around John Smith would probably be asked for his passport as the default assumption, if we are (foolishly) relying on names would be, that he was local.

I get why the OP is miffed to be pigeon-holed based on name.Would someone erroneously asked for passport proof of right to work take it as a compliment? One of my tutors at uni advised me to always address emails to Dr So-and-so if I didn't know whether they had a PhD.

Wow, so many people on this thread:

1. cannot read
2. refuses to believe that assuming someone with a ‘foreign sounding’ name is not British is racist

I think this one was the last one!

Plenty of incompetent people in HR in my experience. Pre-Brexit I had to convince one that my EU citizenship meant I didn't need a visa to work and had automatic freedom of movement - I don't think there was even a way to apply for a visa. Took about 5 emails and an escalation to someone else. That person turned out to be an incompetent wanker in many ways.

How is the new job in general, is everyone else treating you without prejudice and not asking "but where are you really from?"

The energy put into providing alternative explanations and denying racism never ceases to amaze me.

At my firm, when Brexit happened I was called to a room for "reassurance." I'd worked for the company for nearly 20 years.

Sort of well-intended but: Neither I (nor the Antipodeans) there were EU nationals so entirely unaffected by Brexit. We had other means of being allowed to being employed here.

I was a British citizen. I'd worked for the company originally under ILR. A few years after I'd joined (by which time I was a citizen and told them) they asked for a copy of my 'visa' that allowed me to work here. So someone had never retained the documentation I supplied at the time (or by the Brexit period what I subsequently showed) which when you think about it was quite scary.

It's not just HR. I encountered immigration advisors claiming EU citizens must keep and prove EUSS even after gaining UK citizenship...
I was forever grateful that years ago I decided against paying for that few days long courses to become immigration advisor like these people were....

I haven’t started yet, but a few ex colleagues are working there, and they were all really nice people to work with.

There was PR paper iirc. But very few bothered with it because we didn't need it. Our passport was proof enough.

In the absence of any other evidence of racism, I would assume cock-up rather than conspiracy.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

Has this thread been eye opening for you @Donotfitin ?

People are falling over themselves to prove that the simplest explanation - that the assumption behind the request was based solely on your 'non British' name - is unlikely to be correct.

The email is 'othering' at best. A simple tweak to their onboarding process as you suggested (passport or share code) would eliminate that. Luckily most people have limited interactions with the Human Remains team once they in a company.

All the best for your new job.

Exactly this so many other comments are missing the point. I’ve never been asked for a “right to work code” I’ve been asked for a passport /proof of right to work in UK of course. They should have asked her for that which we all know is standard practice.

OP can I ask are you a POC?

It’s been a ride that’s for sure!

Plus other posters keep claiming that there was no malice (which I believe) but that still
doesn’t mean they should know better.

I’m white passing but I do consider myself a POC.

The HR person has never met me, so they wouldn’t be able to make a judgement based on my appearance.

The lack of comprehension skills on display in this thread kind of, in a round-about way, demonstrates the actual issue!!

OP - you were not being unreasonable in being a bit annoyed and I think your response to them was perfect.

Ok yeah so it’s more likely to do with the name in your situation.

I’ve read some of the recent posts on this thread now and I’m glad the comments got a lot more sensible as the thread progressed lol

Spot on.

I can’t believe what I’m reading here. The poster who believes that making and acting on lazy assumptions is not racist is how Britain is how it’s like now. People are gaslighted for calling out this kind of insidious racism.

Why not send out the same message to everyone asking for their right to work documents, instead of presuming someone is British or not?

I am sure it may depend what part of the country you stay but most people with Nigerian names that I know are British and in many cases are 2nd/3rd generation.

Thank you I was just a bit annoyed and expected better, nothing else!