Harper James advises UK businesses on recruitment processes and employment law under the laws of England and Wales. A written recruitment policy gives managers a consistent method for advertising roles, assessing candidates, making offers and storing applicant information.
The policy should identify who approves a vacancy, the required budget, the job description and the selection panel. It should set out objective criteria linked to the role, such as qualifications, experience, technical skills and behaviours. Using the same criteria for all candidates supports fair decision-making and creates a record if a recruitment decision is challenged.
Recruitment advertising and selection must comply with the Equality Act 2010. Employers must not discriminate because of protected characteristics, including age, disability, race, sex, religion or belief, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. The process should include a method for candidates to request reasonable adjustments, such as accessible interview arrangements or additional time for an assessment.
Before employment starts, the employer must complete a right-to-work check in the required form. The policy should also explain when references, qualification checks, professional registration checks or Disclosure and Barring Service checks are appropriate. DBS checks apply to specific roles and must not be used as a general screening measure without a lawful basis.
Applicant information is personal data. A recruitment privacy notice should explain what information the organisation collects, why it is used, how long it is retained and who receives it. Access should be limited to people involved in recruitment, and unsuccessful candidates' records should be deleted or anonymised in line with the organisation's retention policy. Special category data, such as health information, requires additional safeguards.
An offer letter should state whether the offer is conditional, the proposed start date, salary, working pattern and key conditions. Conditions may include satisfactory references, right-to-work verification, regulatory checks or confirmation of qualifications. The employer should issue the written statement of employment particulars within the statutory timeframe and ensure the employment contract matches the recruitment documents.
The policy should require records of applications, scoring, interview notes, adjustments and the reasons for the final decision. It should also explain how candidates can raise concerns and how managers handle conflicts of interest. HR should review the policy when employment law changes, the organisation introduces new assessment methods or recruitment data shows inconsistent outcomes.