Sanciones civiles por trabajo ilegal

In the UK, employers have a legal responsibility to make sure that every person they hire has the right to work. This sounds simple, but the reality can be more complicated, especially with changing immigration rules and increased Home Office enforcement. When something goes wrong,  even unintentionally,  the consequences can be serious. If the Home Office believes a business has hired someone who is not permitted to work, and the correct checks were not completed, they can issue what is known as a civil penalty for illegal working.

These penalties can be financially damaging and extremely disruptive for any organisation. In recent years, the Home Office has become far more active in investigating employers, carrying out site visits and asking for employee documentation. For businesses, this can be a worrying and confusing experience, particularly when they believed they were doing everything correctly. This article can provide insight on how civil penalties work and what we can do to help.

¿Qué es una sanción civil por trabajo ilegal?

A civil penalty is a financial fine issued by the Home Office to an employer who is believed to have hired someone who is not legally allowed to work in the UK. Although it is not a criminal conviction, it can still cause serious harm to a business because the penalties are high.

As of February 2024, employers can now face up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and up to £60,000 per worker for repeat breaches within three years. These fines apply per worker, meaning the total amount can add up quickly if more than one worker is involved.

A worker is considered to be working illegally if they do not have permission to work in the UK, if their visa has expired, if their visa conditions do not allow them to do the particular job, or if they relied on false or invalid documents. Importantly, an employer can still face a penalty even if they genuinely did not realise there was an issue if the proper right to work checks were not carried out, the employer may still be held liable.

Cómo cambió las cosas el Brexit

Brexit brought about one of the most significant changes to right to work rules in decades. Before Brexit, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens could work in the UK freely. Employers only needed to check a passport or national ID card, and many businesses relied on this for years. After Brexit, this changed completely, most European nationals now need immigration permission in the same way as non-EU nationals, unless they have status under the EU Settlement Scheme. A European passport alone is no longer enough to prove the right to work. In many cases, employers must carry out a Home Office online right to work check.

Este cambio ha dado lugar a confusión e incumplimiento accidental, especialmente para los empleadores que seguían confiando en las prácticas anteriores al Brexit. Como resultado, el Ministerio del Interior ha aumentado la actividad de aplicación y ha sido más rápido para emitir sanciones civiles. Ahora las empresas deben tener mucho más cuidado y asegurarse de que su personal entiende las normas actualizadas.

Cómo comienzan las investigaciones

A Home Office investigation can begin in several ways, sometimes it starts with an on site visit. In other cases, the Home Office receives information from another agency, a compliance audit reveals issues, or the business holds a Licencia de patrocinio and is subject to routine checks.

During an investigation, the Home Office may request copies of employment contracts, right to work checks, payroll information, rotas, and details about who is responsible for recruitment and HR decisions. They will look closely at how the business operates and whether the correct procedures were followed.

If they believe a breach has occurred, they will issue a Civil Penalty Notice, which outlines the penalty amount, the evidence relied upon, and the employer’s rights to challenge the penalty.

Qué ocurre cuando se emite un requerimiento de sanción civil

Under Section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the Home Office have the authority to impose a civil penalty if an organisation has employed someone who is not allowed to work in the UK and they cannot rely on a statutory excuse.

Sin embargo, recibir una multa coercitiva puede resultar abrumador, especialmente para las empresas que creían cumplir la normativa. Podemos ayudar a identificar posibles motivos de impugnación y guiar a la empresa a lo largo del proceso para minimizar el impacto en la organización.

Many penalties can be reduced or cancelled if the employer can show that they did not employ the individual, that the correct right-to-work checks were done, or that the Home Office made an error. A well-prepared response, supported by evidence, can significantly improve the employer’s chances of achieving a positive outcome.

Éxitos de clientes

Nuestro bufete ha ayudado a muchos empresarios a superar con éxito investigaciones de sanciones civiles. En un caso reciente, el Ministerio del Interior llevó a cabo una visita rutinaria de cumplimiento a las instalaciones de uno de nuestros clientes y alegó que nuestro cliente había empleado ilegalmente a un trabajador. El cliente estaba comprensiblemente angustiado y la multa potencial era considerable.

The Home Office referred our client to the Civil Penalty Compliance Team who issued our client a Referral Notice and they were required to respond within 10 working days.

Llevamos a cabo una revisión interna y descubrimos que la persona en cuestión no estaba empleada por la empresa en absoluto. No había registros de empleo, ni entradas en nómina, ni vínculos contractuales con esta persona. También explicamos la estructura de la empresa, dejando claro que las decisiones en materia de personal las tomaba una entidad separada dentro del grupo. Reunimos pruebas, preparamos escritos detallados y presentamos una explicación clara al Ministerio del Interior.

Tras examinar nuestras alegaciones, el Ministerio del Interior aceptó que nuestro cliente no era el empleador y no adoptó ninguna otra medida. Esto evitó una importante sanción económica y protegió la reputación de la empresa.

Conclusión

Las sanciones civiles por trabajo ilegal pueden resultar abrumadoras, sobre todo cuando llegan de forma inesperada o cuando usted creía que su empresa cumplía plenamente la normativa. Las multas son elevadas, las normas estrictas y el Ministerio del Interior suele actuar con rapidez.

No tiene por qué enfrentarse a ello solo. Muchas sanciones pueden impugnarse, reducirse o anularse por completo con la orientación jurídica adecuada y una respuesta bien preparada.

If you have received a Civil Penalty Notice, or if the Home Office has contacted you about an investigation, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. Early action makes a significant difference to the outcome. Our immigration team is here to apoyo you, protect your business and help you achieve the best possible result.