Employment History Verification Service

A Comprehensive Guide To EBC Global’s Employment History Verification Service 

EBC Global’s Employment History Verification (EHV) service is essential for verifying individuals’ employment status and history.

This guide will explore everything you need to know about the EHV process, including:

• Understanding what information is provided.
• Navigating regulatory requirements.
• Compliance tips and best practices.
• Stats
• Links and resources

Whether you’re ensuring the legal eligibility of new hires or maintaining current employee compliance, this comprehensive guide will help you leverage EHV for informed, risk-free decisions. 

What is EBC Global’s Employment History Verification Service? 

EBC Global’s Employment History Verification (EHV) service is a due diligence process that verifies individuals’ employment records. This check enables organisations to ensure their employees or potential hires possess valid employment histories and maintain accurate records. As a result, it effectively mitigates the risk of hiring individuals with falsified employment information. 

How Does EBC Global’s Employment History Verification Service Work? 

Verification involves accessing employment records through HMRC using the individual’s Government Gateway login details. Completing an EHV is as simple as Consent, Verification, and Reporting. 

• Consent: The candidate or employee provides their consent for the check. 

• Verification: The employment details are verified against HMRC records. 

• Reporting: The employer receives a report detailing the candidate’s PAYE history. 

What Does It Do? 

With compliant consent from the candidate, the EHV service securely collects the following from the HMRC database: 

• Full 5-year tax history including Employment / Social Security payments 

• Employer Name 

• Taxable Income and Tax Paid for all periods of employment 

• Start and End dates for periods of employment and receipt of benefits 

• Verifies Current Address 

• Confirms National Insurance Number 

EHV can replace or supplement an employer’s standard referencing process for employment verification. 

Benefits of Employment History Verification 

EHV offers multiple benefits for employment and compliance, including: 

• Obtains full and accurate employment history in minutes: Accurate and secure data from official HMRC records. 

• The user journey is simple, compliant, and instant: Reduces incidences of fraud and moonlighting (multi-jobbing). 

• Identifies employment gaps and hidden roles: Decreases time to hire and complete staff vetting. 

• Dramatically reduces manual data entry for the vetting team: Ensures a streamlined process. 

Candidate Journey – Process Flow 

Receiving the Invitation: 

• An email containing a unique link 

• Text notification option available too 

Employment Verification: 

• Provides Consent 

• Accesses HMRC PAYE Online Account via Government Gateway 

• Assistance for accessing Government Gateway for first-time users 

Verification Complete: 

• Thank You message 

• Data protection details 

Vetting Team Journey – Process Flow 

Add EHV to Candidate File: 

• Requested “My Files” in the same way as all other checks. 

Access data supplied by Government Gateway: 

• Link to candidate requesting consent to obtain HMRC tax record 

• Result notification and Report back 

EHV Data Comparison: 

• Side-by-side review of candidate provided source data (CSD) and HMRC records 

• Vetting Team accepts HMRC data if it meets requirements OR continues with CSD to complete standard referencing 

Vetting Team Process – Report and Data Comparison: 

• HMRC PAYE 5-year UK Employment History Verification Report can be viewed in the EHV box 

• A ‘side-by-side’ comparison of the original Candidate sourced data versus the (HMRC) EHV sourced data can also be reviewed within the box. 

• Notes can be made by vetting team (i.e. Payroll company not the same name as Organisation name, or dates differ by +/- 30 days, etc.) 

• A direct comparison can be marked as a Match using the Tick Box 

Vetting Team Process – Data Acceptance: 

• When EHV covers the full timeline required, the “Accept EHV” box can be ticked 

• EHV sourced data replaces the Candidate sourced data. 

• If the EHV data is incomplete, a standard reference box can be added to use a combination including candidate sourced data where permitted (excluding aviation sector). 

• The EHV data and the report are available in the Final report. 

Where Do EHV Results Come From? 

The source of EHV results comes directly from HMRC PAYE History. Specifically, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) maintains comprehensive records of all official employment and employment benefits in the UK.

These records include key details such as tenure and salary information. By integrating with HMRC, EHV ensures unparalleled accuracy and reliability, prevents fraud, and delivers the fastest possible results.

Who Needs to Complete EHV? 

Employers need to complete these checks to confirm that employees have accurate and valid employment histories. Organisations that are required to obtain verified employment records for regulatory requirements conduct these checks to maintain compliance. 

Why Do Employers Conduct EHV? 

It is particularly important to conduct these checks for individuals who require verified employment histories for roles involving financial responsibilities, regulatory compliance, or high-security positions. Ensuring that these employees have accurate and valid employment records is crucial for maintaining compliance and detecting fraud. 

EHV Final Report 

An EHV provides comprehensive information about an individual’s employment record, including: 

• Employment Validity: Confirms if the employment history is accurate and corresponds to CV information provided by applicants. 

• Duration: Details the durations of each employment period. 

• Gap Identification: Reveals dates where taxable employment records do not exist. 

• Tax Information: Provides details around the taxable income and amount of tax paid for each employment period. 

Key Regulations and Guidelines 

Different sectors have different timeframe requirements for employment references. For example, it’s typically 3 years for the NHS Employment Check Standard and BPSS vetting, and 5 years for security and aviation screening. A key regulation change came in June 2024 when the BPSS guidelines were updated, permitting employers to use EHV instead of traditional employment references. 

Many employers see EHV as a way to speedily verify employment but will also use it to complement traditional references. EHV is especially helpful to employers when references are unable to be obtained or take too long for the recruitment process. 

How Long Are The Checks Valid For? 

As with other background checks, an EHV is only accurate at the moment it is conducted.  The check will reveal details to cover the full 5-year period from the date of the check.  

Legal Compliance 

Employers in many sectors across the UK must ensure that their employees have accurate and valid employment records to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. Under the Data Protection Act 2018, which implements GDPR in the UK, organisations must follow strict rules for handling personal data. These include: 

• Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency: Data must be processed legally, fairly, and transparently. 

• Purpose limitation: Data should only be collected for specified, explicit purposes. 

• Data minimisation: Only the necessary data for the intended purpose should be collected. 

• Accuracy: Data must be accurate and kept up to date. 

• Storage limitation: Data should not be kept longer than necessary. 

• Integrity and confidentiality: Data must be processed securely to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or damage. 

EBC Global ensures compliance with these principles by obtaining user consent, securely processing data, and maintaining transparency throughout the verification process. 

Using EBC Global for Your Background Checks 

EBC Global offers a comprehensive EHV service that seamlessly integrates with HMRC PAYE History records. When the applicant logs in using their Government Gateway details, employers can quickly access these records.

As a result, they obtain a detailed report with accurate employment information directly from HMRC. This integration ensures that you can make informed decisions based on reliable, up-to-date data straight from the source.

View all of EBC Global’s Background Checks

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FAQs 

Q: Should employers start the vetting process with EHV? 

A: Yes, it is highly advisable to start the vetting process with EHV so that employers know what they are dealing with. Initiating EHV at the beginning helps avoid delays that can occur if referencing issues or discrepancies arise later. EHV quickly highlights periods of moonlighting, employment gaps, and inconsistencies between CVs and official HMRC records. This proactive approach helps identify cases of CV padding, where candidates extend employment dates to hide gaps, ensuring a more efficient and thorough vetting process. 

Q: What does it mean if there are gaps in the EHV report? 

A: Gaps in an EHV report can occur for several reasons. For instance, the individual might have been under the legal working age, working outside the UK, or engaged in cash-in-hand jobs. 

Q: Are EHV checks available in other countries? 

A: Yes, similar processes for accessing official government tax records are available in many other countries. EBC Global will soon roll out equivalent checks for Ireland, Spain, the USA, Canada, India, Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and Poland. Each country requires a separate candidate journey to access the records for that specific country. 

Q: What are the costs associated with using EHV, and are there any volume discounts for large organisations? 

A: The costs associated with using EHV can vary based on the volume of checks required. EBC Global offers highly competitive pricing and may provide volume discounts for large organisations. For detailed pricing information and potential discounts, please contact contact@ebcglobal.co.uk or book a demo. 

Q: How quickly can we expect to receive the verification reports after initiating the EHV process? 

A: The EHV process is designed to be quick and efficient. As soon as the candidate clicks the link, provides their consent and logs in to the system using their Government Gateway details, the verification report will be available for employers to access. This rapid turnaround helps streamline the hiring process and reduce delays. 

Q: Can we integrate EHV with our existing HR software or applicant tracking system (ATS)?

A: Yes, EBC Global’s EHV service can be integrated with most HR software and applicant tracking systems (ATS). This integration allows for seamless data transfer and helps maintain a smooth workflow within your existing HR processes. EBC Global provides technical support to assist with the integration. 

Q: What support and training does EBC Global provide to help our HR team implement and use EHV effectively? 

A: EBC Global offers comprehensive support and training to ensure your HR team can effectively implement and use the EHV service. This includes initial setup assistance, user training sessions, and ongoing technical support. EBC Global’s customer service team is available to address any questions or issues that may arise. 

Q: How does EHV handle discrepancies between the candidate-provided information and the HMRC records? 

A: When discrepancies arise between candidate-provided information and HMRC records, EBC Global’s EHV service highlights these inconsistencies in the verification report. Your Vetting or HR team can then review the discrepancies and take appropriate action, such as requesting additional information from the candidate or conducting further checks. This ensures that any potential issues are identified and resolved promptly. 

Q: What do the latest BPSS vetting requirements say about using EHVs? 

A: Organisations can accept HMRC PAYE records from an individual as proof of employment.  

“Verifying an individual’s employment history reduces the risk of fraud by corroborating their previous roles. It also allows the employer to review any significant gaps (such as unemployment, periods overseas), omissions or potential conflicts of interest.

Organisations must verify an individual’s disclosed employment, academic history, and/or qualifications (where applicable) for at least three years before conducting BPSS checks. They can do this through His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) PAYE or by obtaining employer references.

Q: What do the latest BS7858 vetting requirements say about using EHVs? 

A: You can use proof of NI or HMRC PAYE records as evidence of employment. Otherwise, you must collect two forms of suitable evidence (e.g., payslips, bank statements, contracts, etc.).

Stats 

Links / Resources 

Get proof of employment history – GOV.UK 

UK Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard – Version 7.0 – June 2024 (HTML) – GOV.UK 

EBC Global’s Webinar Series – Modern Employment Verification: Leveraging HMRC PAYE Records