> ## 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.

# 🇬🇧 Right to Work Verification

> Step-by-step guide to setting up UK Right to Work checks in your hiring flow

## 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:

```mermaid theme={null}
graph LR
    A[Application & Personal Info] --> B[RTW Declaration]
    B --> C[Document Upload]
    C --> D[RTW API Verification]
    D --> E[Contract Signing]
    E --> F[Training & Onboarding]
    F --> G[Approved]
```

***

## 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                    |

> \[!TIP]
> Use a **compliance rule** on this page to route candidates to the correct document upload page based on their declaration. This avoids showing irrelevant document requests.

***

## 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) |

Configure each document upload element with:

* **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                       |

> \[!TIP]
> The Home Office share code can be verified via API. Set up an automation to call the RTW API automatically after the candidate submits their share code and documents.

***

## 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.

### Handle API results with compliance rules

Based on the API response:

* **Verified** — Move to the next page (contract signing)
* **Unable to verify** — Route to manual review
* **Expired documents** — Trigger recollection

### 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.

### Use AI for document processing

Enable AI-powered automations to extract and validate:

* Driving licence details (Trigger MM DVLA AI)
* RTW document details (Trigger MM RTW AI)
* Vehicle registration (Trigger MM Vehicle Reg AI)

***

## 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:

1. Runs daily
2. Checks for RTW documents expiring within 90 days
3. Triggers recollection for affected candidates
4. 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

### Re-evaluate compliance rules on recollection

Enable **Re-evaluate rules on recollection** in your hiring flow settings so that re-submitted documents are automatically verified through the same RTW API workflow.

***

## 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                         |

> \[!TIP]
> We recommend using a dedicated Slack channel for compliance alerts. Each automation posts structured messages with the candidate's name, document type, expiry date, and a direct link to their application — so the compliance team can act immediately.

***

## 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.