I've worked for the same company for nearly 15 years. Recently I've been told that I have to produce either a birth certificate or passport (don't have!) for their files to prove I'm an English citizen!
They are adamant that I must provide documentation despite working for them since 2002!
Am I legally obliged to give them what they are asking for? Or should I just tell them to go fuck themselves!
Cheers
Neither. Politely explain that you shan't be spending your own unpaid free time chasing down and paying for expensive documentation for which you have no practical use, though I would suggest a compromise offer: if they want to pay you overtime to gather the verification necessary for a passport application and then pay the 100-odd quid to process it, you're willing to do them that favor.
I've calmed down a bit now so I won't go down the "Fuck yourselves" route as was my intention.
Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try!
Cheers
I think its a reasonable request if you think of it from their point of view.
- There are now fines for employers who find themselves employing illegal immigrants.
- They may have found themselves vulnerable as they never originally asked for birth certificates on hiring
- Its less contentious to ask all members of staff to do this rather than only asking for hires from the last X years / people who don't 'appear' to be UK/EU citizens
I would be highly suspicious of an employee who couldn't produce one of these documents or something based on them.
Quote from: matty_ae on 23 January, 2017, 03:33:03 PM
I think its a reasonable request if you think of it from their point of view.
If I had just started working for them I probably would've thought it reasonable. After working there for nearly 15 years I'm of the opinion (rightly or wrongly) that they are taking the piss!
Cheers
We had to all do it at our place and there were lots of arguments but everyone meekly handed theirs over like the sheep we were :lol: :lol: :lol:
NapalmKev- I might be being stupid here, but doesn't the fact that you pay National insurance count as proof of nationality?
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 23 January, 2017, 03:51:10 PM
NapalmKev- I might be being stupid here, but doesn't the fact that you pay National insurance count as proof of nationality?
I thought that would be the case but the company is insisting I provide proof of who I am.
I carry no forms of ID as I've never needed to. The only thing in wallet with my name on is a debit card.
If I'm not legally obligated to give them proof of my nationality then they can shove it.
Cheers
Quote from: matty_ae on 23 January, 2017, 03:33:03 PMI would be highly suspicious of an employee who couldn't produce one of these documents or something based on them.
People who work low-paying jobs may not be able to afford a car or holidays, hence no photographic ID like a licence or a passport.
Quote from: Professor Bear on 23 January, 2017, 04:59:27 PM
Quote from: matty_ae on 23 January, 2017, 03:33:03 PMI would be highly suspicious of an employee who couldn't produce one of these documents or something based on them.
People who work low-paying jobs may not be able to afford a car or holidays, hence no photographic ID like a licence or a passport.
Yes, but everyone should have a birth certificate, or be able to get a hold of one.
No UK citizen is required to own a birth certificate, but Kev has already said they want proof of identity, and a birth certificate isn't that on its own, unless it comes with additional documents: usually several examples of addressed correspondence from government agencies to the individual in question and usually also photographs signed by a prominent community figure such as a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc, who must also know the individual personally and may be contacted by the government to verify this - which is why not every doctor, lawyer, or teacher wants to be bothered signing photographs.
Proving your identity is not a little thing to ask of someone without photographic ID, it's a lot of time, effort and - crucially - money. It's not unreasonable to expect those demanding this proof to pay for it.
Why do they want it?
My birth certificate was lost while I was a child (possibly by the Passport office when my mum got me a child passport). I had to get a replacement for it when I applied for an adult passport. Cost less than £10 from the local registrar's office to where I was born. If they don't require photo ID (and my passport is the only photo ID I possess) then it's much cheaper and hassle-free than getting a passport (I have no idea where NapalmKev was born - if outside the UK then *shrug*).
Quote from: Professor Bear on 23 January, 2017, 05:24:54 PM
No UK citizen is required to own a birth certificate, but Kev has already said they want proof of identity, and a birth certificate isn't that on its own
Actually, NapalmKev specified that a birth certificate could be used in his first post.
Quote from: Professor Bear on 23 January, 2017, 04:59:27 PM
Quote from: matty_ae on 23 January, 2017, 03:33:03 PMI would be highly suspicious of an employee who couldn't produce one of these documents or something based on them.
People who work low-paying jobs may not be able to afford a car or holidays, hence no photographic ID like a licence or a passport.
In fact, exactly the people who the introduction of ID checks at polling booths is deliberately intended to disenfranchise.
Quote from: I, Cosh on 24 January, 2017, 10:35:27 AM
In fact, exactly the people who the introduction of ID checks at polling booths is deliberately intended to disenfranchise.
A page torn directly from the US's
Republican Manual On Voter Suppression.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-38721900
If SportsDirect had been vigilant in asking to see all their employees passports, they would have discovered members of their workforce had had them taken off them and were being forced to work as slaves.
I don't think failing to do security checks even starts to cover SportsDirects failings as a employer...
Listening to the Government fall guy responsible for slavery, it seems that Sports Direct limits themselves to a line in a document as 'doing there bit to root out slavery in this country'.
You know, reading back that first sentence, it seems a little wrong. Ah, mebbe its just me.
I've been asked to do some travel for my company and didn't have nor currently need a valid passport. They paid for it. I would suggest trying the same route though it is odd that they need this now.
Quote from: Satanist on 25 January, 2017, 10:22:21 AM
it is odd that they need this now.
Really? You can't think of
anything happening right now that might make companies more inclined to confirm that their employees have the right to reside and work in the UK?