EU WORKERS at Fife Council will be asked “sensitively” if they’re going to stay after Brexit. 

And all employees will be requested to state their nationality in a census as the local authority tries to plan for a possible reduction in staff numbers. 

The scrutiny committee met last Tuesday and discussed a report on workforce challenges, including Brexit. 

Head of human resources Sharon McKenzie said: “To help us ensure we can effectively communicate with, and support, current EU employees, as well as plan for our future workforce, we will soon undertake a census of employees’ nationality and record this within the council’s HR/payroll system. 

“It will be key to ensure that staff are made aware of what we are doing, and why, through clear communications. 

“At this stage, we do not know the intentions of our EU employees and trying to establish whether they will choose to remain will form part of ongoing communications. 

“This will be done sensitively as it is a very personal decision, and not something they have to disclose.”

Reassurance and counselling will be made available to “those worried about impending changes”.

She continued: “Any reduced number in future could impact our workforce and therefore our ability to provide services in areas where non-UK EU citizens are more prevalent eg early years care and social care. 

“HR business partners are working with services to identify potential impacts if existing EU employees choose to leave or fewer EU citizens choose to come to Fife.”

Her report said the council aimed to comply with all legal requirements to ensure employees have the right to work in the UK after we leave the European Union. 

And they want a workforce plan that can address “any potential shortfall in resources caused by a loss of, or reduction in future, availability of EU citizens for work”. 

Ms McKenzie explained: “The council has a requirement to ensure all employees have the right to work in the UK before we can employ them. 

“EU citizens have an automatic right to work which will not continue beyond June 2021.”

She added: “Non-UK EU citizens wishing to remain in the UK and maintain their current rights will have to apply for settled status. 

“The scheme, delivered via an online system, will formally open in March 2019.

“The deadline for applications is June 30, 2021.”