Reed Screening influences regulators to change approach during COVID-19

March 26, 2020 Reed Screening influences regulators to change approach during COVID-19

COVID-19 Employment Screening update

We are working with UK GOV to ensure that the screening process is being reviewed, as there are obvious challenges due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Some of this is around meeting face to face with a potential candidate to complete an identity check. Therefore, we have influenced various regulators to change their approach in these unprecedented times.

We will update this blog on an ongoing basis, to ensure all new changes are visible to our current and prospective clients.

You are always welcome to contact us on 0161 244 9066 or by using our contact form here.

6th April - Important changes to contingent worker screening in the public sector

Following changes we helped bring about with the Home Office, DBS, and Disclosure Scotland, important changes to contingent worker screening in the public sector during COVID-19.

This will ensure that the on-boarding process is simplified and accelerated for contingent and BPSS workers and includes soft copies of documents being accepted and a DBS at application stage or basic check in progress - if not already complete.

Reed Screening is the only UK screening business open 24/7 onshore and we are clearing candidates in hours rather than days to help keep the economy moving and Candidates in work.

2nd April - Fast-track Screening - Reed Screening designs alternative referencing solutions

References will become harder to obtain during COVID-19, Reed Screening have designed solutions to ensure recruitment is not delayed during this critical time

Using a variety of secondary & tertiary sources for employment verification and validation of character & integrity, RSc can give you assurance of a candidate's history & suitability.
We do this without relying on responses from previous employers who may not be trading or are operating at severely reduced capacity during the present circumstances.

This service ensures the shortest turnaround time for screening whilst maintaining the stringent standards that all organisations should hold when screening their employees and is fundamental to protecting your business.

Do you need your candidates immediately, then get in touch using the form below, to hear more.

2nd April - We wanted to help those people whose credit ratings might have suffered during COVID-19 by making sure their chances of a new job aren't impacted

We're supporting employers and prospective employees alike during this crisis with our compassionate credit service.
Whilst the Credit Reference Agencies have pledged not to allow payment holidays, reduced payments, paused payments or increased credit limits to affect consumer scores, they will still be incorporating defaults, missed payments and numerous other adverse credit data points that could reasonably arise from someone's livelihood being affected by the crisis.

Working with government and our financial services partners, we are automatically excluding any adverse credit information related to COVID-19 from our employment checks, ensuring that those impacted by, or out of work because of the present circumstances can rejoin or move within the workforce quickly, and reducing time to screen by eliminating screening failures or escalations to hirers.

If you can benefit from this, contact us today at: screening.enquiries@reedglobal.com or use the form below.

1st April - Fast Track DBS Clearance for Care Workers

Reed Screening are working to same day turnaround and because we work 24/7 through the night to support you during these times we are processing all times of the day and night. To hear how this could benefit your business, contact us today using the form below.

We appreciate during these challenging times, ensuring vulnerable adults have the right level of care is more essential than ever. Reed Screening are pleased to offer a Fast Track Adult Barred List Checking Service for any urgent workers going into a role with vulnerable adults. This means the barred list result will be received and confirmed in most cases within a matter of hours, allowing your applicants to begin work that day.

We also offer a range of other Fast Track key checks for the Care sector, with turnaround times of hours instead of days. We are here to support your business by giving you peace of mind within the quickest possible turnaround.

To find out how the only 24/7 Fast Track UK screening service could benefit your business please contact us on 0161 244 9066 or email screening.enquiries@reedglobal.com. You can also read on to find out what other changes we have made to background employment screening during COVID-19.

31st March - Important Right to Work changes for employers

Important Right to Work changes for employers - essential info to help your business - please read...

These are the recommendations we made to Home Office a few weeks ago so delighted they have been implemented.

Thanks to all the employers and clients out there who bared with us during this time.

Essentially checks can be done via video calls with scanned documents, or use of the ECS.

Employers have EIGHT weeks after the end of COVID-19 to reconcile the checks.

For more on how Reed Screening, the UK's only 24/7 onshore screening business, are clearing people in hours not days get in touch here.

30th March - Important changes to Identity Verification for Right to Rent

Important changes to Right to Work legislation for employers during COVID-19. Delighted to have supported this important change...

Following a few weeks working with the The Home Office, they have formally announced changes for Identity Verification for the right to rent sector during these unusual times. The changes for employers will most likely follow tomorrow and be similar in nature.

The pragmatic changes enable landlords to view right to work documents remotely.

Delighted to have supported these changes as they will have a large and very welcome impact on industry. I will communicate further tomorrow.

For further questions please get in touch here.

30th March - Fast, Online Disclosure Scotland checks through Reed Screening

Great news , Reed Screening are now offering a full electronic solution to process all Disclosure Scotland applications, including PVG's. There will also be a prioritisation of checks for those who have the most vital roles supporting the country during this time. This removes the need for a paper application and will ensure a increasingly efficient service for our clients.

Reed Screening director, Keith Rosser is a Non-Executive Board Member of Disclosure Scotland, supporting Disclosure Scotland’s vision to protect Scotland's people and shape a safer environment to live and work.

Disclosure Scotland is driven by their vision and mission, delivering safeguarding outcomes and enabling employers to make better informed decisions. Reed’s recruitment business, and our employee screening business, have always seen the benefit of screening potential and current employees, whilst balancing the need to make safe and fair decisions, providing people with a working chance.

Reed Screening is the UK's only 24/7 employee screening business, a part of the largest family-owned recruitment business in the UK. Reed Screening is the fastest growing screening business in the UK. Our heritage makes us experts in candidate experience and our role within industry is second to none.

If you would like to find our more please feel free to contact us on screening.enquiries@reedglobal.com or visit our website www.reedscreening.com.

30th March - Fast Track Access NI Service

To help the UK during this period, Reed Screening are delighted to offer a new Fast Track Access NI Service for emergency workers. You are now able to request an urgent check of the Barred Lists, enabling your applicant to start work as soon as the results are received. This service is available for applicants that are required to urgently uptake work in response to COVID-19 in Northern Ireland.

Reed Screening is the only UK Screening Business open 24/7 onshore, clearing Candidates in hours rather then days to help keep the economy moving and provide care to those who most need it.

To utilise this service, please call 0161 833 8855 or email screening.enquiries@reedglobal.com

26th March - FREE DBS checks service for emergency workers

To help the UK during this period Reed Screening are delighted to announce our FREE DBS Check Service for emergency workers.

The service is for all emergency healthcare and social care staff within NHS health services providing care and treatment for the Coronavirus disease.

Reed Screening is the only UK screening business open 24/7 onshore and we are clearing candidates in hours rather than days to help keep the economy moving.

Reed Screening also Chair the Criminal Records Trade Body (CRTB) with the DBS and Disclosure Scotland and have been working with UK GOV recently to devise practical solutions to screening employees during our new world of work we all find ourselves in.

23rd March - Reed Screening lead discussions with the DBS and help support a temporary change to identity checking for Basic DBS Checks

Following our update yesterday, we are delighted this will now extend to Basic Checks from Monday.

Fantastic response from UK GOV to our lobbying about pragmatic changes to enable business to support our pressurised services and help the UK economy recover.

Discussions with Home Office, BEIS, Disclosure Scotland, and Politicians continue, great progress already on:

Standard and Enhanced DBS (yesterday, Sunday 22nd March)
Basic DBS
Referencing (earlier this week)
Recruitment regulations (Monday, 23rd March)

19 March - Reed Screening announce the extension of the current All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Inquiry into Future of Screening

Fast employee screening and onboarding during the coronavirus outbreak...Fast Track for an agile labour market

We are working with MPs, Home Office, and DBS to find practical solutions to achieving responsive and rapid compliance and onboarding during these challenging times.

Progress is excellent and Fast Track has started with the aim of improving this with imminent changes expected through our work with UK GOV bodies, especially:

Remote recruitment enablement
Document Validation alternatives
Responsive Referencing with businesses 'on hold'
Screening for the Gig Economy
Police checking protocols

19 March - Reed Screening lead discussions with the DBS and help support a temporary change to identity checking for Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks

Delighted we brought about this change...campaigning for amendments to Basics now.

We continue to work on influencing other legislation holding back UK business during these challenging times.

Further updates to follow.

Reed Screening are here 24/7 to ensure the fastest employee screening times in the UK and lobby for effective change with UK GOV.

18 March - Fast Track Screening launched

After a successful week lobbying UK GOV, delighted to announce Fast Track 24/7 Employee Screening, hours not days...

We have worked with Home Office, DBS, Disclosure Scotland, and BEIS this week to create sensible and practical responses to the current economic and social situation we are all facing.

For more information on how Reed Screening can remotely screen candidates around the clock 24/7 in just hours, not days contact us on 0161 244 9066 or by using the form here.

17 March - Reed Screening begin discussions with Home Office to support a change in right to work policy during coronavirus

I have written to MPs (on request) about remote ID checking and speeding up recruitment and screening.

This is an unfolding human story and businesses must be given the appropriate support to contribute to the national effort.

REED are open 24/7 to quickly Fast Track workers into roles and complete employee screening in the fastest time possible.

Email us on screening.enquiries@reedglobal.com or call 0161 244 9066 on how your organisation can do this. In summary:

As Chair of the Criminal Records Trade Body (CRTB) Keith Rosser, director of Reed Screening, has written to the DBS to advise on needed changes
As Committee Member of ECHO with the Home Office Keith Rosser are working with them on how Coronavirus has changed the norm and businesses need to be agile with RTW

16 March - Fast Track Recruitment launched

These are undoubtedly challenging times, so REED are delighted to announce Fast Track Recruitment & Screening 24/7...

REED and Reed Screening are implementing agile and dynamic measures to deliver continued excellent service through a rapidly changing business environment.

Our Fast Track methods will reduce time to hire and deliver reassurance to business even during these most challenging of times through:

Agile working methods
Close partnerships with UK GOV regulators
Innovative approaches based on 60 years in recruitment and 8 years redefining the employee screening market
24/7 onshore working maximising working patterns

To all our great current clients: we will be extending our Parliamentary Review into employee screening so plenty of opportunity still to influence Government, moving our thought leadership event in May, and fixing the first Financial Services Screening Forum for the summer.