employer wants proof of time off?

nicechap · 1 May 2018 at 10:42AM

sann420 wrote: »

Hi All,

I have recently joined an Investment bank in the IT department.

At the end of 2016 I left my then employer and was jobless for about 10 months. During this time I did travelling etc but never claimed any benefits. Then I joined another company for a couple of months where things didn't work out and I got a job with my current employer.

Now my current employer has done all the criminal checks etc + employment refs + education checks and they have all come through fine.

But now they want me to be accountable for the 10 months that I did not work. Since I did not claim any job seeker allowance during this time my employer wants me to go to HMRC and get a employment history certificate and submit it to them.

My question is: Are they within their rights to ask for this ? and what is the point of this? I have asked them repeatedly why they need to know what I was doing during my time off and they just keep saying its for compliance reasons.

With the current environment of data leaks etc I do not feel comfortable giving them this info without a solid reason. Am I within my rights to question this request specially given that their verification department operates out of a non EU country and all my personal info will be dispersed all over the world for no good reason.

I do not have anything to hide but its a matter of principle. I try to give out my personal info only on a well needed basis and they have not given me a valid reason apart from internal compliance.

I have checked this website https://www.gov.uk/employers-checks-job-applicants and it does not mention any sort of request by employer to show employment history from HMRC etc.

What are your thoughts on this?

Cheers,

What value do you place on this point of principal? Enough to be out of a job again?

You do realise that as you've been there less than 2 years they can just terminate your contract for no reason.

BooJewels · 1 May 2018 at 11:04AM

The other alternative that I don't think has been mentioned is that gaps in employment, without job seekers being claimed, can suggest time serving a prison sentence.

welshbookworm · 1 May 2018 at 11:08AM

My job insisted on 5 years complete history (no gaps ) before they would accept me.

Les79 · 1 May 2018 at 11:12AM

sann420 wrote: »

At the end of 2016 I left my then employer and was jobless for about 10 months. During this time I did travelling etc but never claimed any benefits. Then I joined another company for a couple of months where things didn't work out and I got a job with my current employer.

I don't see what the big deal is tbh.

Assuming you aren't lying about the travelling bit, you shouldn't really have anything to hide. And if you want to talk about data being passed around then maybe consider the fact that you've made quite a lot of public posts on a public forum...

Did you ever manage to sell that flat in zone 2 which you had on the market in Feb 2017?

How's your Capita pension plan going?

Did you end up throwing in your 3 month (10k) notice of period pay into your pension pot? Or was that part of the reason why you could afford to live without working?

I do find it ironic how people bemoan data protection and then post half this stuff on public forums! Though it does sound like you are both minted and may well have a blas! attitude towards working due to it.... So in that respect I do actually think that you are more dragging your heels here as apposed to hiding something!

Just remember that most people in the country need to work because they can't turn a 150k profit on a house. If you are indifferent about the job (or the process) you are applying for then can you kindly leave it for other people please?

Lungboy · 1 May 2018 at 2:13PM

It does seem to be a bit silly to worry about data protection over your whereabouts for 10 months when you are presumably happy to give them actually important bits of info like your name, D.O.B, NI number, bank details etc.

Fennite · 1 May 2018 at 3:49PM

hows about flight tickets, passport entry and exit stamps for evidence of travelling?

I can see employers wanting to make sure a) you are not hiding a job gone wrong, or b) you were not off sick for a long period

Diamandis · 1 May 2018 at 4:00PM

You've given them this information already so how is it going to change anything if there is a data leak? Sounds like you're being difficult.

Dox · 1 May 2018 at 4:24PM

Their compliance checks will certainly require them to obtain the information they've requested, so either come into the real world and provide it, or you won't get the job. Why the big deal if you've been completely honest?

You need to be aware that many a job applicant has been 'travelling', 'homemaking', 'taking a sabbatical'...when they've been doing nothing of the sort.

TBagpuss · 1 May 2018 at 4:42PM

What information do you think they will get from an employment history certificate from HMRC that they wouldn't already have?

As an employee they will already have your name, address and NI number.
Presumably you gave your job history on your application.

If you want the job, you will need to provide the information.

usefulmale · 1 May 2018 at 6:32PM

BooJewels wrote: »

The other alternative that I don't think has been mentioned is that gaps in employment, without job seekers being claimed, can suggest time serving a prison sentence.

The only trouble there is

Now my current employer has done all the criminal checks etc + employment refs + education checks and they have all come through fine.

employer wants proof of time off?

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