Resonable / legal Requirement?

[Grant Holman]

I'm contracting through one of the big consultancies and although I'm now in my 4th month and have been receiving regular payments, their compliance process is still not complete.

The final hurdle is their assertion that I am required to provide proof of how I financially supported myself for an 8 month period in 2020 while I was unemployed due to the pandemic job market crash. I've told them politely that this is none of their business, which it isn't. I have provided references for either side of that period which they have accepted.

They now say that their vetting process is (quote) "regulated by The Cabinet Office", but the end client is nothing to do with the Government so what does the Cabinet Office have to do with it?

So - are they making a fair request?

[NotAllThere]

I'm contracting through one of the big consultancies and although I'm now in my 4th month and have been receiving regular payments, their compliance process is still not complete.

The final hurdle is their assertion that I am required to provide proof of how I financially supported myself for an 8 month period in 2020 while I was unemployed due to the pandemic job market crash. I've told them politely that this is none of their business, which it isn't. I have provided references for either side of that period which they have accepted.

They now say that their vetting process is (quote) "regulated by The Cabinet Office", but the end client is nothing to do with the Government so what does the Cabinet Office have to do with it?

So - are they making a fair request?

On the face of it, no.

But are you prepared to risk losing the contract over this.

[ladymuck]

It's possible that the consultancy works with government departments and is applying one vetting process irrespective of who the end client is without considering whether it's necessary. I remember Lorien once telling me I needed SC clearance for a job at Reuters (I didn't) which was quickly resolved once I asked them to confirm that with the client. Vetting teams can and do make mistakes.

Whilst it's always worth challenging there is a risk, as NAT alludes to, of you losing the gig because you're perceived as awkward. It's a balancing act of how much you want the job vs how much you're willing to push back but I would always confirm any request that seems OTT for the role.

If you wish to share the consultancy name, some here might have experience of working with them and be able to offer some advice.

[Grant Holman]

Thanks to you both for replying.

ladymuck - I think you're right here, this is a one-size-fits-all process to cover the Gov requirements in case I was ever positioned there. It's Cap Gemini.

[TheDude]

It's Cap Gemini.

Run.

[hobnob]

I'm curious about what they'll accept as proof. E.g. do they want to see full copies of all your bank statements, or just payslips/dividend vouchers from your limited company?

[northernladuk]

But are you prepared to risk losing the contract over this.

This is the bottom line really. All other opinions are irrelevant. You want the gig do it. You don't then don't.

But for discussion. It is reasonable if done for the right reasons and it is their business if they've got compliance to meet. I've been through vetting before with a couple of months gap in work and had to provide bank statements and anything else I could to prove I was at large in the community. They were checking I wasn't taking a long holiday at her majesties pleasure or on a sight seeing trip in Afghanistan. Perfectly reasonable things to check.

[northernladuk]

I'm curious about what they'll accept as proof. E.g. do they want to see full copies of all your bank statements, or just payslips/dividend vouchers from your limited company?

In my case it was bank statements to see I'd been spending locally, not sudden change in lifestyle and was little change to my lifestyle between being in work and taking a few months off. Payslips and dividends can be altered or issued when and where you fancy. It doesn't prove anything.

[Grant Holman]

"They were checking I wasn't taking a long holiday at her majesties pleasure or on a sight seeing trip in Afghanistan." - my SC clearance covers this sort of thing.

[northernladuk]

"They were checking I wasn't taking a long holiday at her majesties pleasure or on a sight seeing trip in Afghanistan." - my SC clearance covers this sort of thing.

It might for one groups requirement but another group have a risk profile to meet for different reasons. You might be SC cleared for the MoD but you have to go through the whole process again for police clearance is one strange example. Doesn't make sense but that's the way it is. They are two examples but there will be other elements, did you suddenly start spending a fortune at the local wine merchant, losing thousands in casinos, who knows. They have a risk profile to meet and they need to do their diligence.