Evidence is emerging that many HR professionals are struggling to keep up with changing employment legislation and potentially the effects of Brexit will make being so critical .
Medium sized organisations need to consider the Modern Slavery Act and have a policy to address its needs. Small organisations, as a matter of social responsibility should make themselves aware of the potential for slavery among their employees. Employers tapping to the poorer end of the labour market need to be particularly vigilant.
The need to know the nationalities of your workforce is ever more important and employing illegal workers would leave you open to fines, reputational damage and fraud. Right to work checks need to be in place for all employees and in some cases repeated throughout their employment.
Brexit is likely to exacerbate issues as European workers are likely to lose the right to work in the UK.
But just looking at the current situation; the need for checks, will include employees who may have been with you for some time. Failure of such employees to provide the documentary evidence of their right to work puts you in a position of being unable to employ them. Technically their employment contract would be void as they do not have the right to be employed and therefore, for the right to notice pay or to claim unfair dismissal. In practice, take some advice first.
There is no shame for you in seeking HR advice from those professionals who are keeping pace.