Can a Recruiting Company Ask for ID and Right to Work?

loopy18 on 21/09/2018 - 10:36
Last edited 21/09/2018 - 11:13 by 1 other user

Hi,

I want to know if a recruiting company has a right to ask for your 100 points of ID such as passport, drivers licence etc.?

Wouldn't such requirements get checked by the company who will be ultimately employing you? My understanding is that an employment contract naturally would stipulate such requirements and eligibility.

I feel that not everyone will be comfortable handing out such sensitive personal data to 'middle-man' company such as recruiters.

Thanks for your thoughts/wisdom in advance.

Education & Work

Comments

  • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 10:37
    +25

    Of course they can.

  • Serathis on 21/09/2018 - 10:45
    +11

    well thats the whole point of companies hiring recruiters. They do the checks and filter out for them.

    So yes.

    If you're not comfortable with this 'middle-man' approach, then I'd suggest you go apply for jobs directly with your future employers

  • No on 21/09/2018 - 10:45
    +10

    The recruiters job is to find suitable candidates. They are gonna look pretty bad to there client if they send you for an interview and your not eligible to work.

  • beeawwb on 21/09/2018 - 10:51

    Flip it around; why wouldn't they be able to?

  • Godric on 21/09/2018 - 10:54
    +3

    lol

  • [Deactivated] on 21/09/2018 - 11:00
    +9

    Absolutely not!

    They should not even be asking for your name! Nor should they be asking for your work history, CV, qualifications, or any information whatsoever!!!!

    You should not even tell them what job you're applying for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Nugs on 21/09/2018 - 11:34
      +2

      why the negs?

    • foxmulder on 21/09/2018 - 12:01

      Tell me about yourself? Nothing! :)

  • Jasn on 21/09/2018 - 11:00
    +5

    I've worked for a couple of recruitment companies and by law if they represented you to a client and you didn't have the rights to work you as a consultant can get sued and the company can as a whole. ID is taken to validate your rights to work as there is a tool called Vevo where we can put the details in to match, as if we just asked you for the rights to work it's just a piece of paper that can be forged quite easily.
    Ultimately when/if successful it gets forwarded to your new employer for your HR file.

    As a previous comment said tho as a recruiter we are there to filter everything out for the company.

    • Wonka on 22/09/2018 - 08:46

      Love the detail. This should be at the top

  • payton on 21/09/2018 - 11:00
    +1

    alternative for you is to screen out smallish no name recruiters that you think aren't trustworthy

  • pantsparty on 21/09/2018 - 11:14

    Yes, they sure can. Employers pay recruiters to check and screen candidates for them. This includes verifying your ID and making sure you can legally work here.

  • Tunblor on 21/09/2018 - 11:16
    -5

    The thing about employment agencies/recruiters, is that even though you turn up to work at a company every day, sometimes for years, often times (depending on the contract/subcontract arrangement) you do not actually work for that company, you work for the employment agency or recruiter, and that agency then bills the company you have been turning up to work at.

    At no time are you an employee of that company, you only work for the agency. As such, the agency is responsible for collecting your employment documents, and ensuring proper clearances, checks, tax and super managed etc.

    • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 11:45
      +6

      Employment agency != Recruiter.

      Some contract you out to companies. Others find you a job that you work in directly.

  • GG57 on 21/09/2018 - 11:24
    -1

    If you have nothing to hide….

    • Quantumcat on 21/09/2018 - 11:59
      +1

      Irrelevant, the documents could be used in identity fraud. There is legitimate reason to be concerned.

      • GG57 on 21/09/2018 - 12:10

        Ask the recruiting company for their data management / retention compliance policy. I would suggest most have taken steps to comply with the EU's GDPR (or are already compliant).

        I would be more concerned about other businesses that view your ID or credit cards.

        • Diji1 on 21/09/2018 - 19:34

          Ask the recruiting company for their data management / retention compliance policy

          Why? They are going to say the same thing if they are criminals as they would say if they are legitimate.

      • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 12:24

        Then don't give it to them. The recruiting company isn't forcing you to do anything.

      • loopy18 on 21/09/2018 - 12:27

        That is my concern, particularly when most of the information requested is typically in digital format, eg email containing scanned or image of your information, or if you physically take it to them, it will be scanned and stored on their systems for years.

        All of a sudden besides the need for verification, I wonder what measures they have in place to protect my private data.

        • retiredfeline on 21/09/2018 - 12:30
          +1

          What did they say when you asked them?

          For that matter how well do your employers protect your personal data?

          That's why data protection laws are important.

        • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 12:32
          +1

          I don't know what your end-game is here. To not give them your information? You already don't have to. To somehow force them to provide their services to you without this information? Not going to happen, move on.

        • loopy18 on 21/09/2018 - 13:13

          Yes, I am aware of your point regarding that this is entirely voluntary, but this is something probably most at some stage of their career consider.

          My concern is not giving information, but are there measures which assure me that after I give the required info and verification is established, my data is no longer accessible and deleted permanently?

          I mean such process in mind would take 5 mins upon presentation of valid and legitimate documents. Hence my info is only exposed for as long as necessary not instead of sitting on cloud storage or computers exposed to any form of risks.

          To me, verification of identity or right to work requires more secure approach. I would have liked to see the old school way of physically presenting your docs, degree or whatever, have them sighted and that would be the end of verification. Probably wishful thinking in today's pace of tech.

        • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 13:26

          @loopy18:

          are there measures which assure me that after I give the required info and verification is established, my data is no longer accessible and deleted permanently?

          Ask them. I don't expect anyone here to know because I assume every recruiting company has their own procedures. But no - they very likely will have to keep a copy because they'll need to show interested companies.

          I would have liked to see the old school way of physically presenting your docs, degree or whatever, have them sighted and that would be the end of verification.

          Pretty sure the old school way was for you to give them a copy of all your documents, which they then keep. Potentially forever in their HR file. Sure, it might not be online, but believe me - far more than those documents of yours are already online.

        • Diji1 on 21/09/2018 - 19:39

          @greenpossum: >That's why data protection laws are important.

          Pity Australia's laws are comprised of weasel words such as "likely" and "serious harm" because they were written by industry.

          Eg.

          An eligible data breach is one in which there is unauthorised access, disclosure or loss of personal information held by an entity and that access, disclosure or loss is "likely to result in serious harm to any of the individuals to whom the information relates".

          There is no compulsory reporting.

        • Wonka on 22/09/2018 - 08:54

          @loopy18:

          Of course you’re right that this could be better.

          But you’re looking for work now and they are the ones who have the potential to put you in front of an employer(s).

          So the trade off seems to be; future possible misuse of your personal data or future possible employment.

          Getting the system changed often requires a lot of effort and involving yourself in a way to influence policy that’d become law. One recruiter at a an agency isn’t the person to argue with.

          If you want to try and insulate yourself from possible data misuse impacts, you could look in to getting your credit report monitored. It costs money but is normally the first warning sign on real economic impacts from identity theft (I guess most people look at the cost and don’t bother).

          I was given a bit of advice early on, which is, you have to play the game.

  • Cheeper on 21/09/2018 - 11:30

    Yes they do have the need to confirm your details but I understand your concern over giving all your personal details to what may seem a group of strangers in this era of rampant identity fraud.
    How well do they protect the information you give them?
    You have no idea but you have no choice but to just trust them.
    The same applies to all the places that hold personal information on you. Some make the effort to secure it, but as we know, some don't.

  • sparkles on 21/09/2018 - 11:32
    +3

    A recruiter HAS to make sure you are qualified to work in the country. They pay you, you are technically their employee or contractor. This question is stupid.

  • vishalpandi97 on 21/09/2018 - 11:37

    Ofc they can. They need to know if your eligible to work here and have any restrictions.

  • tsunamisurfer on 21/09/2018 - 11:41
    +2

    Next post : Can a Recruiting Company Ask for my CV?

    • Scab on 21/09/2018 - 11:42
      +2

      Next post, can a recruiting company recruit?

      • retiredfeline on 21/09/2018 - 11:43
        +4

        Next post: Do I have to give my name when introducing myself?

  • loopy18 on 21/09/2018 - 11:51

    I agree with the basics of verifying your right / qualification to work.

    How they go about it is debatable. For example, would you give consent for them to have the authority to - in addition to basic verification - gain access to your medical records, educational records, any references they can find about you (positive or negative), etc…? I say this because I have recently experienced this.

    Is there a right approach to this?

    • Scab on 21/09/2018 - 11:53
      +1

      This guy recruits.

    • HighAndDry on 21/09/2018 - 11:54

      gain access to your medical records, educational records, any references they can find about you (positive or negative), etc

      Depends on the industry and the position. At the end of the day - no one forces you to use any particular recruiter or even a recruiter at all. Don't like it, move on. It's voluntary on both sides. If enough people refuse to use their services, they'll adapt. If people agree, well again it's voluntary.

      Is there a right approach to this?

      Yes. They ask, you decide if you want to provide the info or not.

    • Randxyz123 on 21/09/2018 - 14:00
      +1

      gain access to your medical records,

      They CAN’T do this. Why is medical relevant?

      • nivag01 on 21/09/2018 - 14:11

        so they know you can physically do the job and whether you will be a risk to your self or others.

        • Wonka on 22/09/2018 - 08:59

          The only thing they can’t do is discriminate based on a protected attribute.

          E.g

          An employer can chose to employ you because you can’t pass a test measuring something (I.e a qualification)

          But they can’t chose not to employ you because you have kids.

          More information here: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-g…

  • PeterC86 on 21/09/2018 - 12:18

    "I feel that not everyone will be comfortable handing out such sensitive personal data to 'middle-man' company such as recruiters."

    sure, some people wont feel comfortable doing that, and they will find a job elsewhere - no one forces you to use recruiters

  • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2018 - 14:01

    Are you sure that you want a job?

  • Brendoo on 22/09/2018 - 19:54

    Be bloody careful!! I have a decent amount of experience here. Only give that if you absolutely trust the company 100%. Even then be cautious. I know of recruitment firms (mostly ones who are recruiting for Chinese companies) that have sent the full ID details of candidates, incl photos of passport ID pages in mass emails to companies just in the hope of scoring a contract (and getting paid their commission) by having the best looking "westerner" (from their passport or driver's license photo) and thus proving it is really their photo. Some of these Chinese and Asian companies value the look of the person and their proven nationality (especially Australian, it's very high value in China) more than the person's skills. It's basically a meat market and your raw ID can be floating around. I've even seen recruiters post raw IDs on their websites (they were dodgy recruiters, those ones were in China) in order to entice companies to use them so they can get their commission. You may only be going for a job in Australia, but some of these companies will throw your details far and wide.

    The key point here - use a very reputable Australian recruiter who has a long proven history of doing the right thing with your ID and data. We have laws to protect this, but some don't give a shit because they are chasing big commissions.

  • Micko179 on 22/09/2018 - 21:03

    Easy fix, start your own recruiting company that doesn't ask for private information! 😂

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