In January 2010 it was reported that Haringey Council had employed 35 illegal immigrants between 2006 and 2009, the council revealed the findings under a Freedom of Information request.
Seventeen worked for Haringey’s traffic department enforcing the council’s controlled parking zone policy, all of these were Nigerian nationals without papers to work in the country. Two managed to secure jobs working with elderly and disabled residents and one Jamaican national had even become assistant manager of a Haringey care home. Another Jamaican national was working as a residential care worker. Richard Merrin, candidate for Hornsey and Wood Green, said: “I can’t believe the procedures at Haringey are so lax that an illegal immigrant can walk in and get a job looking after some of the weakest in society.”
Investigations also revealed that illegal workers had secured jobs at some of the country’s most sensitive offices within government, including the headquarters of the UK Border Agency, Whitehall offices of the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice. This is despite a promise made in 2008 by the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that guilty bosses would be named and shamed on the Home Office website. A council spokesman pledged it would avoid employing illegal workers in the future, she said: “In all cases, we took the correct action for dismissal when illegal status became known. We will continue to be vigilant and work closely with other agencies to identify any future cases.”
Richard Connelly, manager of the screening department at Agenda Security Services said “This report highlights the importance of checking right to work documents at source, simply photocopying them is not enough, with fines for companies of £10,000 it is simply not worth the risk.” He went on to say “Right to work checks are a specific requirement of the Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard and more widespread adoption of this screening process would avoid this type of situation.”
If you would like further information about Agenda’s right to work checks e-mail info@agenda-security.co.uk or call 08456 44 55 46.
