Recruitment, Right to Work & Vetting Policy

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how Murzo Group recruits, selects, checks, and vets workers in a fair, lawful, secure, and proportionate way.

It supports consistent hiring decisions while protecting applicants, employees, clients, suppliers, information assets, and Murzo Group operations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to recruitment and engagement of:

• Employees, directors, officers, consultants, contractors, interns, temporary workers, and agency workers
• Roles across Murzo Group companies, ventures, projects, client platforms, and operational sites
• Any role requiring access to Murzo Group systems, confidential information, regulated activity, security-sensitive work, food or farming operations, or client environments

3. Recruitment Principles

Murzo Group recruitment must be based on merit, role requirements, capability, integrity, and lawful business need.

• Selection criteria must be relevant to the role and applied consistently
• Recruitment decisions must not unlawfully discriminate
• Applicants must be treated with dignity, confidentiality, and respect
• Conflicts of interest must be declared before an applicant is assessed or appointed
• Offers may be conditional on satisfactory right to work, reference, qualification, identity, security, or other proportionate checks

4. Role Risk Classification

Before recruitment begins, Murzo Group may classify the role by risk level to determine appropriate checks.

• Standard roles: identity, right to work, employment history, and reference checks where appropriate
• Trusted access roles: additional checks for access to systems, financial information, client data, sensitive premises, or confidential material
• Security-sensitive roles: enhanced vetting may apply where the role involves security services, restricted environments, high-value assets, sensitive technology, or regulated client requirements
• Regulated or safeguarding roles: checks must match the legal eligibility and safeguarding requirements of the role

5. Right to Work Checks

Murzo Group must verify that each worker has the legal right to work in the UK before employment or engagement begins.

• Checks must be completed before the individual starts work
• Checks may be completed using the official online right to work service, acceptable original documents, an approved identity service provider, or the Employer Checking Service where appropriate
• Copies or records of checks must be retained securely, with the date of the check recorded
• Follow-up checks must be completed where a person's permission to work is time limited
• Expired physical biometric residence permits or cards must not be accepted as proof of right to work where official guidance requires online evidence instead

Right to work checks must be conducted fairly and without discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, accent, name, appearance, or perceived immigration status.

6. Identity, Qualification & Reference Checks

Murzo Group may verify identity, qualifications, professional registrations, licences, experience, and references where these are relevant to the role.

• Applicants must provide accurate and complete information during recruitment
• Material misrepresentation may result in withdrawal of an offer or termination of engagement
• References should be factual and requested only where relevant and proportionate
• Qualification checks must be limited to credentials required for the role or claimed by the applicant

7. Criminal Record & DBS Checks

Criminal record or DBS checks may be requested only where lawful, relevant, and proportionate to the role.

• The level of check must match the duties, legal eligibility, and risk profile of the role
• Basic checks may be used where appropriate for general trust or risk management
• Standard, Enhanced, or Barred List checks must only be used where the role is eligible
• Applicants must be told why a check is required and how the information will be used
• Disclosure information must be handled securely and shared only with authorised decision-makers

A criminal record will not automatically prevent appointment. Murzo Group will consider relevance, seriousness, timing, pattern, role risk, legal obligations, and any explanation provided.

8. Security Vetting & Sensitive Roles

For roles involving sensitive systems, client environments, security operations, confidential research, high-value assets, or critical suppliers, Murzo Group may apply additional vetting controls.

• Verification of identity, address history, employment history, references, qualifications, and professional licences
• Checks against sanctions, fraud, adverse media, or other lawful risk sources where relevant
• Client-specific vetting where required by contract or site access rules
• Periodic re-screening for roles with continuing elevated risk

Vetting must be proportionate to the role and must not be used as a general surveillance or exclusion mechanism.

9. Data Protection & Recruitment Records

Recruitment and vetting information must be handled in accordance with Murzo Group's Data Protection Policy and applicable data protection law.

• Only information necessary for recruitment, compliance, security, and employment purposes should be collected
• Applicants should be told what information is collected, why it is needed, how it is used, and how long it is retained
• Recruitment records must be stored securely and accessed only by authorised personnel
• Unsuccessful applicant records should be retained only for a justified period and then securely deleted or anonymised
• Automated decision-making must not be used to make legally or similarly significant recruitment decisions without appropriate safeguards

10. Contractors, Agencies & Third Parties

Where workers are supplied by agencies, subcontractors, or other third parties, Murzo Group may require evidence that appropriate recruitment, right to work, and vetting checks have been completed.

• Third parties must comply with applicable employment, immigration, equality, data protection, and safeguarding laws
• Contracts may require audit rights, evidence of checks, confidentiality obligations, and immediate notification of material concerns
• Murzo Group may refuse or remove access where checks are incomplete, outdated, unreliable, or unsuitable for the role

11. Records, Audit & Review

Murzo Group will maintain appropriate records of recruitment decisions, right to work checks, vetting outcomes, and approvals.

• Records must be accurate, dated, and retained in line with legal and operational requirements
• Role owners should review vetting requirements when duties, location, client access, or system access changes
• This policy should be reviewed periodically and when relevant legal, regulatory, or operational changes occur

12. Responsibility

Hiring managers, role owners, and authorised Murzo Group representatives are responsible for applying this policy consistently.

Applicants and workers are responsible for providing accurate information and promptly notifying Murzo Group of any change affecting their right to work, licence, registration, or suitability for the role.