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Heron Bros recognised the need to highlight the challenges the construction industry faces in relation to Illegal Workers and Human Trafficking. Heron Bros Modern Slavery Policy defines the processes in place to ensure their supply chain are conducting right to work checks and can also carry out similar spot checks. The construction company went one step further by implementing a…

Illegal working is one of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry. There is a great deal of confusion surrounding the process of checking a prospective employee’s right to work, but it is essential that sites are aware that the correct processes are in place. Even if the main contractor is not legally responsible for ensuring right to work, as…

The UK’s Modern Slavery Act requires companies to demonstrate the actions being taken to ensure that modern slavery is not occurring within the supply chain. Every year they must produce a statement that quantifies the activities we have undertaken to help meet this objective. At Mace we have developed our policies in response to this legislation and begun taking positive…

It is crucial that each and every site ensures their workforce is legitimate, as illegal workers pose a grave risk to the construction industry as a whole. Not only can the presence of illegal workers pose a health and safety risk on site, but employing workers who are not eligible to work in the UK carries hefty penalties. The example…

Illegal working often results in abusive and exploitative behaviour, the mistreatment of illegal migrant workers, tax evasion and poor housing conditions. It can also undercut legitimate businesses and have an adverse impact on the employment of people who are lawfully in the UK. Under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), an employer may…

Ethical sourcing is a term that is becoming more and more prominent as governments and organisations strive to create a more global, equal and fair working environment. The focus is to ensure products are being sourced from environments where workers are treated well, paid well and working in respectable conditions. In the construction industry, we must be aware of any…

In order to maintain high levels of safety and legal regulation, the industry must monitor the legitimacy of its workforce. The following procedures and checks should be in place to monitor the workforce: There should be a process in place to check the legitimacy of the workforce either before arrival on site or upon arrival, with spot checks as necessary,…

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced or compulsory labour and domestic servitude. In March 2015, the Modern Slavery Act was introduced by the UK government to give protection to victims and hand-down harsh penalties to offenders, who now face up to life imprisonment if they are convicted of modern slavery offences. Individuals working in the country illegally due to…

Individuals working in the country illegally due to their immigration status will often be victims of abuse and exploitations or caught in a situation now defined as modern slavery. Spot checks can be made to make sure as far as possible that everyone working on your site is doing so legally. The Home Office’s recommended Right to Work checks, is…

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced or compulsory labour and domestic servitude. In March 2015, the Modern Slavery Act was introduced by the UK government to give protection to victims and hand down harsh penalties to offenders, who now face up to life imprisonment if they are convicted of modern slavery offences. The National Crime Agency’s latest strategic assessment listed…

Employers are expected to carry out checks to ensure that people on their sites are legally able to work in the UK. Employers should be implementing the following process: Obtain original versions of the various documents allowed/ required, which would often include a passport; Check all of the documents validity in front of the person concerned; Make and retain copies of the…