Am I Who I Think I Am?

[Perry Vale]

A week ago, my employers sent an e-mail requesting everyone brings in either their passport of birth certificate, to prove their nationality, and that they are eligible to work in the UK. I'm a bit annoyed about this, as I don't really want them having a copy of either, and don't see why they should. I've worked for them for FOUR years now, they had my P45 from my last employers & my NI number etc.

Anyway, I can't even find either of them! I got a passport in 1999 when I went to New York for a week (& a duplicate birth certificate at the same time), but haven't needed it ever since, and in the meantime have moved house 3 times. A friend I used to live with still has a lot of my belongings in his loft, I'm guessing they're there somewhere.....

So now my company are getting arsey with me for not supplying it, does anyone know my legal standing on this? Can I refuse?

Thanks

[Paul Monk]

That sounds very stupid Steve. I don't know where you stand legally but I can't see that they can make you bring one in. I can't see that they can sack you for it. Well they can but it would be unfair dismissal.

[Andrew Curnow]

I heard about another company who did that recently - I would have thought they're probably on pretty shanky ground legally (although I may well be wrong) and I have to say it would really annoy me to be asked to do that. Surely they've got your NI number on the payroll, that should be enough?

[Captain Tancredi]

It's certainly fairly standard practice with agencies now as I found out the other year- there are fairly hefty fines for employing illegal immigrants, although I'm not sure how anybody is ever going to find out, as nobody is going to report their own employers and get themselves deported into the bargain. Similarly in my last job we all had to be photographed for our staff files over a period of a couple of days. Having said that, my dad has just been taken on as a Christmas casual by a local branch of a national high street shop, and I know for a fact that he doesn't have a passport as his last one was nicked in Paris over ten years ago following which he and Mum lost their enthusiasm for foreign travel.

I'd imagine that the company could claim that you'd failed to comply with one of the legal requirements of your employment, however it seems to me that by offering the option of the birth certificate they're accepting something which is fairly easy to replace.

[Antony Cox]

That sounds very stupid Steve.

Easy, Paul! I mean, anyone can lose a passport....

[Brian]

I know that when I was first employed I had to show a lot of that stuff but that was to do with Criminal records checks.

Again, I'm not sure where they stand legally but I'm pretty sure you have the right to refuse until they explain why they want them.