Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.firstwork.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Overview
UK employers are legally required to verify that every employee has the right to work in the United Kingdom before employment starts. Failure to conduct proper checks can result in civil penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. Firstwork automates Right to Work (RTW) verification by combining document collection, API-based validation, OCR, and automated recollection for expiring documents — all within your hiring flow. This guide walks through how to handle RTW verification for high-volume hiring.How RTW Fits Into a UK Hiring Flow
Right to Work checks typically sit early in the hiring flow, after basic application details but before contract signing:Step 1: Add a Right to Work Declaration
Create a Right to Work Declaration page with a selection element asking the candidate to declare their nationality type:| Option | Route To |
|---|---|
| British / Irish National | UK Passport or Birth Certificate upload |
| Foreign National with settled/pre-settled status | Share code and passport upload |
| Foreign National with visa | Visa document upload |
Step 2: Set Up Document Collection by Nationality
British / Irish Nationals
Create separate pages for each accepted document type:| Page | Document | Elements |
|---|---|---|
| UK Passport Upload | Valid UK/Irish passport | Document Upload with OCR enabled, camera capture required |
| Birth Certificate Upload | UK birth certificate | Document Upload with OCR + a supporting document (e.g., NI letter) |
- Enable OCR — Extracts name, DOB, passport number, expiry date
- Detect doctored documents — Flags potentially altered documents
- Camera capture required — Ensures the document is photographed live, not a screenshot
Foreign Nationals
For candidates without British/Irish nationality, collect:| Field | Element Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Share code | Text | The candidate’s Home Office online RTW share code |
| Passport / Travel document | Document Upload | With OCR enabled |
| Visa / BRP | Document Upload | If applicable, with expiry date extraction |
| Date of birth | Date Picker | For share code verification |
Step 3: Automate RTW API Verification
Firstwork can verify Right to Work status automatically using the Home Office Employer Checking Service API. Set this up using automations:Create an RTW API automation
Go to Automations and create a new automation linked to your hiring flow. Name it something clear like “RTW API Check”.
Set the trigger
Use a Form Element Submission trigger that fires when the RTW document upload page is completed.
Add the RTW API action
Add an action that calls the RTW verification API with the candidate’s share code, date of birth, and document details.
Example RTW automation setup
A comprehensive RTW verification setup typically includes these automations:| Automation | Purpose |
|---|---|
| RTW API | Calls the Home Office API to verify share codes |
| DVLA API | Verifies driving licence validity (for driver roles) |
| RTW Recollection Agent | Automatically triggers recollection for expiring RTW documents |
| Compliance - Right to Work Expiry - Slack Message | Alerts the compliance team when a worker’s RTW is about to expire |
| BGV automation - Inapp | Triggers background verification checks |
Step 4: Add DVLA Verification (For Driver Roles)
If you’re hiring drivers, add driving licence verification alongside RTW:Collect driving licence details
Add a Vehicle Selection & Driver Information page with licence number, category, and document upload.
Add a DVLA API automation
Create an automation that calls the DVLA API to verify the licence is valid, not revoked, and matches the candidate’s identity.
Step 5: Set Up Compliance Rules for RTW Outcomes
Add compliance rules to handle different verification outcomes:| Condition | Action |
|---|---|
| RTW verified + documents valid | Move to next page (contract signing) |
| RTW verified + documents expiring within 90 days | Move to next page + flag for future recollection |
| RTW check failed | Move to Manual Review stage |
| Documents appear doctored | Move to Manual Review + Slack alert |
| Share code invalid | Trigger recollection for share code |
Stage structure for RTW outcomes
Set up dedicated stages in your hiring flow to track RTW status:| Stage | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Check RTW | Pending RTW verification |
| Check RTW RPA | Awaiting automated RTW check |
| Manual Review | RTW needs human review |
| RTW Share code Re-collection | Candidate needs to re-submit share code |
| Passport Re-collection | Candidate needs to re-submit passport |
Step 6: Configure Ongoing RTW Recollection
RTW status can expire — particularly for workers on visas or with time-limited permission to work. Set up automated recollection:Create recollection templates
In your hiring flow settings under Recollection, create templates for:
- Passport expiry
- Visa/BRP expiry
- Share code refresh (share codes are valid for 90 days)
Set up a scheduled recollection automation
Create a Schedule Trigger automation that:
- Runs daily
- Checks for RTW documents expiring within 90 days
- Triggers recollection for affected candidates
- Sends an SMS/email notification to the candidate
Add Slack alerts for the compliance team
Create an automation that posts to a Slack channel when:
- A worker’s RTW expires within 30 days
- A recollection request goes unanswered for 7 days
- A document fails re-verification
Step 7: Monitoring and Alerts
Set up operational visibility for your compliance team:| Alert | Channel | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| RTW expiring within 30 days | Slack | Scheduled automation |
| RTW recollection not completed | Slack | Scheduled automation (7 days after request) |
| RTW check failed | Slack | On RTW API failure |
| Insurance certificate expiring | Slack | Scheduled automation (for drivers) |
| DVLA check failed | Slack | On DVLA API failure |
Best Practices
Route by nationality
Use compliance rules to show the right document upload pages. British nationals don’t need share codes; foreign nationals do. Avoid one-size-fits-all pages.
Enable OCR on all documents
OCR catches data mismatches early — if the name on a passport doesn’t match the application, flag it before it reaches manual review.
Automate recollection before expiry
Start recollection 90 days before document expiry. Send reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days. Don’t wait until the last minute.
Keep audit trails
Every RTW check, API call, and document upload is logged. Use webhooks or CSV export automations to maintain external audit records for Home Office inspections.