EU NATIONALS have been reminded that they are not in danger of losing their jobs until their application is decided, ahead of tomorrow’s deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Dorset Race Equality Council have said they have become aware of cases of EU workers who have been pressured with being made unemployed on July 1 if they cannot prove their status.

However, the Home Office states that anyone who applies by the June 30, 2021 “will have their existing rights protected” pending the outcome of their application.

EUSS & Community Development Officer at the Dorset Race Equality Council Christine Brienne said: “Even if they have not yet received confirmation of their pre or settled status, their rights to live and work in the UK are protected.

“However, it has come to our attention that this information has not filtered down to employers and Healthcare. 

“There are cases of EU workers who have been threatened to lose their job on 1 July if they cannot prove their status, even though they have applied to EUSS and are waiting for their application to be processed.”

Anyone eligible who has applied on time will receive by email from the Home Office a Certificate of Application. 

Yet, in other parts of the UK, some EU nationals who have applied but unable to prove their status have been wrongly billed for secondary healthcare by hospital trusts.

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Christine added: “We are very concerned that there could be potential discrimination and are keen for the right information to be disseminated.

“Our team of advisers from Citizens Advice and Dorset Race Equality Council will continue to support EU nationals in the next few months with their post-application issues such as uploading further evidence, accessing and proving their status online, changing their passport or personal details etc. 

“We will also help with late applications.”

In its most recent letter sent to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals, The Home Office clearly states that there “remains scope, indefinitely” for a person eligible for status under the EUSS to make a late application to the scheme where there are “reasonable grounds” for their failure to meet the deadline. 

Every late application will be considered on its individual merits.

“However, it appears that a number of EU nationals and organisations have misunderstood this statement as being an extension of the deadline,” said Christine. 

“This is not the case and the rights of those who are eligible but have not applied to the scheme by June 30 will be challenged and removed until they submit an application – pending reasonable grounds for missing the deadline.”