Member Article

Technology-led UK Right to Work Identity Document Verifications Redefine Employer and Candidate Experience During the Hiring Process

Sterling—a leading provider of background and identity services—is expanding the global Sterling Identity suite of services and has launched a new UK Right to Work Identity Verification solution that uses facial recognition and fraud detection technology to accurately verify an individual’s right to work status.

According to Cifas – the UK’s leading fraud prevention service – there have been consistent increases in identity fraud over the last four years which means that the potential fines that businesses could face by failing to properly verify an individual’s Right to Work status is becoming a growing concern for employers. With in-person checks now also becoming a challenge due to social distancing rules, as well as an increase in remote working, Sterling is proud to provide an easy-to-use service leveraging technology that enables fast and accurate remote Right to Work ID verifications.

Using this new functionality, candidates follow a guided journey, which will invite them to use their smart phones to capture photos of relevant ID documents, along with a selfie image. The combination of facial recognition and fraud detection technology can accurately determine document authenticity, while the AI software examines the image to verify if it is a ‘live’ photo and matches this against the ID submitted. The results are then instantly available and accessible for final in-person checks, streamlining the verification process. As a full-service provider, Sterling is able to deliver this as either a standalone service or as part of a wider, more comprehensive background check program.

Steve Smith, Managing Director EMEA at Sterling, commented: “Modern hiring starts with identity verification and with every company in the UK legally required to carry out Right to Work checks, the accuracy of verifications is essential. With identity fraud arguably becoming much more refined, the tools to verify workers should be equally sophisticated. This combination of artificial intelligence, facial recognition software, and fraud detection technology makes the Right to Work process more accurate by removing the full reliance on human verification and, perhaps more importantly, enables the process to begin remotely, with results immediately available to the employer. With more businesses re-opening and beginning hiring, having access to fast ID verification solutions that enable a better and more efficient experience for employers and candidates alike, will be crucial to getting the UK back on track as we continue navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sterling .