Documents Reviewed
14,200+
and counting
Compliance Rate
99.8%
zero breaches to date
Compliance isn't a
checkbox. It's our
foundation.
Every hire through Edge Harbour is backed by a rigorous, legally-aligned compliance framework — protecting employers, candidates, and the people they serve.
Built different from
the ground up.
Traditional recruitment agencies treat compliance as an afterthought — a box to tick before a placement fee is collected. We built Edge Harbour the other way around. Compliance is the engine, not the exhaust.
Every workflow, every candidate profile, every employer interaction is designed with UK legal requirements at its core. This isn't a feature — it's the architecture.
“We don't just check documents. We verify them against live UK government databases and sector regulatory bodies.”
Verify First, Match Second
No candidate enters an employer's pipeline until their documents have been reviewed and approved by our compliance team.
Sector-Specific Standards
Compliance requirements differ by sector. We apply the correct legal and regulatory framework for Healthcare, Hospitality, Customer Service, and Tech roles.
Human Review, Not Just Automation
Our Super Admin team manually reviews every document submission. Technology assists — humans decide.
What we check, and why.
Our verification framework is built around UK legal requirements. Here's every check we run — and the regulation it satisfies.
- Right to WorkImmigration Act 2014
- Enhanced DBSRehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- NMC / HCPC RegistrationNursing & Midwifery Order 2001
- Mandatory Training (BLS, safeguarding)CQC Standards
- Professional References (2 clinical)NHS Employment Check Standards
- Right to WorkImmigration Act 2014
- Basic/Standard DBSRehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2/3)Food Safety Act 1990
- Professional References (2 hospitality)Industry standard
- Personal Licence (where applicable)Licensing Act 2003
- Right to WorkImmigration Act 2014
- Standard DBSRehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Professional References (2 professional)Industry standard
- Communication AssessmentInternal methodology
- Background VerificationBS7858:2019
- Right to WorkImmigration Act 2014
- Standard DBSRehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Professional References (2 technical)Industry standard
- Technical Screen (stack + seniority)Internal methodology
- Portfolio / GitHub ReviewInternal methodology
Employers can't skip it.
That's the point.
Our ATS includes a mandatory Compliance Review stage built directly into the hiring pipeline. Before any candidate can be moved to the Interviewing stage, their full document dossier must be reviewed and approved. It cannot be bypassed, overridden, or skipped.
Mandatory Gate
The Compliance Review column in the ATS is locked. Candidates cannot progress without a manual compliance sign-off.
Full Dossier Access
Employers see the complete verified document set — RTW, DBS, credentials — before making any hiring decision.
Audit Trail
Every compliance action is timestamped and logged, providing a full audit trail for regulatory inspection.
Applied
2 candidates
Marcus B.
Healthcare Assistant
PendingShortlisted
1 candidate
Aisha K.
Registered Nurse
Compliance Review ⚠
Manual review required
Daniel O.
Senior Chef
Awaiting reviewInterviewing
1 candidate
Priya S.
Data Engineer
✓ VerifiedEvery check has a
legal basis.
We don't make up our compliance requirements. Every verification is grounded in UK law or sector regulation.
Immigration Act 2014
Mandates Right to Work checks for all employees. Failure to comply carries civil penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Governs DBS disclosure. We apply the correct level of check (Standard/Enhanced) based on role type and sector.
UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018
All candidate documents are stored securely, processed lawfully, and retained only as long as necessary. ICO registered.
Nursing & Midwifery Order 2001
Requires active NMC registration for all nursing roles. We verify PIN status directly against the NMC register.
Food Safety Act 1990
Requires appropriate food hygiene training for food handlers. We validate Level 2/3 certificates for all hospitality candidates.
BS7858:2019
British Standard for screening individuals in secure environments. Applied to Customer Service and Tech roles with data access.
Common compliance questions.
Who reviews candidate documents?
Our in-house Super Admin compliance team reviews every document submission manually. No document is auto-approved — a human always makes the final call.
How long does candidate verification take?
Most candidates are verified within 24–48 working hours of submitting their complete document set. Incomplete submissions are flagged immediately with guidance on what's missing.
What happens if a document is rejected?
The candidate is notified with a clear explanation and given the opportunity to resubmit. Employers never see unverified candidates — the rejection is handled entirely within our compliance pipeline.
Can employers access candidate documents directly?
Yes. Once a candidate passes compliance review, employers can view the full verified dossier from within the ATS before making any hiring decision.
How are Right to Work checks performed?
We verify RTW documents against UK Home Office standards. For candidates with biometric residence permits or share codes, we perform online verification. All checks are documented and timestamped.
Is Edge Harbour GDPR compliant?
Yes. We are registered with the ICO, process all personal data lawfully under UK GDPR, and maintain a full data processing register. Candidates can request data deletion at any time.
What DBS level do you check?
The level of DBS check depends on the role. Healthcare and roles involving vulnerable adults or children require Enhanced DBS. Other sectors typically require Standard DBS. We apply the appropriate level automatically based on sector.
How do you handle expired credentials?
Candidate profiles include credential expiry tracking. Candidates are notified in advance of expiry and prompted to resubmit. Expired credentials are flagged in the ATS so employers always see current compliance status.
Compliance you can trust. Hires you can stand behind.
Whether you're an employer protecting your business or a candidate building your verified profile — Edge Harbour has you covered.