How a Digital Identity Solution Protects Employers of Remote and Contract Workers

The rise of remote work and the gig economy has transformed the modern workforce, offering flexibility for businesses and individuals. However, this shift has introduced significant security challenges, particularly verifying and safeguarding workers' identities. According to the Australian Signals Directorate’s 2023 ASD Cyber Threat Report, reporting of cyber security incidents impacting Australian businesses increased by almost one-third in the 2022-23 financial year. About 57% of cyber incidents reported by critical infrastructure entities involved compromised accounts or credentials, compromised assets/networks/infrastructure, and denial of service attacks.

To address these challenges, businesses must leverage cutting-edge solutions to safeguard their workforce and data. Australia’s Digital Identity Act and other new solutions such as WorkPro’s Digital Identity Solution are stepping in to provide the security and compliance tools needed to ensure security for remote and contract workers.

What Is the Digital Identity Act?

The Digital Identity Act, which commenced on December 1, 2024, aims to create a national framework for verifying and protecting identities online. It establishes a trusted, government-supported digital identity system that businesses and individuals can use to ensure secure transactions.

By digitising identity verification processes, this Act minimises reliance on physical documents, streamlining compliance with industry regulations. For businesses, this represents a significant step towards ensuring that employees, contractors, and third-party vendors meet the required security and compliance standards.

What is WorkPro’s Digital Identity Solution?

WorkPro’s Digital Identity Solution, aligned with the requirements of the Digital Identity Act, provides a reliable way to securely verify identities. The key components include:

1. Document Analysis

WorkPro’s document analysis automates the verification and extraction of data from identity documents, including passports and birth certificates, reducing manual workload and minimising human error. 

2. Document Verification Service (DVS)

WorkPro is an accredited Gateway Service Provider of the Attorney-General’s Document Verification Service (DVS), to confirm the legitimacy of key identity documents including passports, driver licences, Medicare cards and citizenship documents in real-time. For employers, this provides confidence in the verification process, through the authenticity against official government databases.

3. Biometric Facial Verification

This step adds an extra layer of protection by conducting a ‘liveness test’, verifying the image and comparing them against the identity document provided. This ensures the person presenting the document is the rightful owner, particularly useful for businesses hiring remote workers where in-person identity checks are impractical.

4. Identity (ID) Vault

An individual’s verified identity documents are then automatically stored in their personal WorkPro encrypted ID Vault. Individuals then control access to their personal data and documents, and are able to reuse the document for future employment opportunities. This minimises oversharing, as well as reducing the time and effort spent by both employers and workers during screening, onboarding and ongoing compliance management.



Why is a Digital Identity Solution Crucial for Employers of Remote and Contract Workers?

For businesses that rely on remote and contract workers, managing identity verification is a critical challenge. Ensuring compliance, safeguarding sensitive data, and onboarding workers efficiently can be daunting without the right tools. WorkPro’s Digital Identity Solution provides employers with a secure, centralised, and efficient approach to identity verification, benefiting both businesses and their workforce. Here's how it addresses key challenges:

1. Fast Onboarding for Temporary or Short-Term Roles

Contract and project-based roles demand rapid verification processes to get workers started promptly. Automated identity checks speed up the onboarding process, allowing workers to be job-ready in minutes instead of days.

2. Seamless Access for a Geographically Distributed Workforce

Remote workers can often live far from their employers or even in different countries. A digital-first system enables businesses to onboard workers and complete identity verification online without the need for physical document transfers or in-person meetings. This ensures smooth onboarding regardless of their location.

3. Streamlined Processes for Flexible Work Arrangements

Remote and contract workers often transition between roles and industries, requiring businesses to repeatedly verify identities. WorkPro securely stores verified credentials within the ID Vault, acting as a portable, digital identity, allowing businesses and workers to quickly access necessary information whenever and wherever needed. This reduces administrative overhead, mitigating the risk of errors, fraud, or identity theft, and allowing workers to transition between roles without delays or complications.

4. Stronger Fraud Prevention and Data Security

Biometric verification, combined with the Document Verification Service (DVS), ensures that businesses only onboard legitimate workers. This protects employers from fraudulent activities, such as the submission of fake documents, while safeguarding sensitive worker information with encrypted storage in the secure ID Vault.

5. Confidence in Compliance and Privacy

WorkPro’s solution ensures that businesses remain compliant with identity verification requirements while protecting sensitive data. Workers benefit from knowing their information is securely stored, while employers gain trust in the integrity of their workforce.

A Seamless, Secure Solution for Remote and Contract Workers

Remote and contract workers are integral to the modern workforce, but their unique needs demand tailored solutions. WorkPro’s Digital Identity Solution addresses these needs head-on, providing fast, secure, and reliable identity verification that benefits both workers and employers.

With features like Document Analysis, the DVS, Biometric Facial Verification, and the ID Vault, employers benefit from faster onboarding, reduced fraud risks, and improved compliance, creating a safer, smarter workforce. Workers gain a portable, secure identity profile that simplifies their employment journey to get job-ready faster. Contact us today to find out how to implement this into your business.