The European Accessibility Act (EAA): inclusive employment practices with 321GoCheck

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has applied since 28 June 2025, and businesses across the UK and EU have been adjusting to its accessibility standards. This landmark legislation aims to harmonize accessibility requirements across EU Member States, ensuring that people with disabilities can access goods and services without barriers. For companies in the employment sector, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity to create more inclusive hiring practices.

At 321GoCheck, we have been building these standards into our onboarding flow. Our innovative platform is built to help businesses adopt EAA compliance into their hiring workflows, ensuring that they not only meet legal requirements but also tap into the valuable disability market segment.

The EAA and Employment: What You Need to Know

The EAA covers a broad range of industries, including digital services that are crucial to the employment process. For background checking services, this means committing to ensuring that our solutions and processes are accessible. 321GoCheck has been at the forefront of this transition, working towards developing solutions that are compliant with EAA standards. Our goals are to enhance the overall user experience for both employers and candidates.

"At 321GoCheck, we believe that accessibility is not just about compliance - it's about creating equal opportunities for everyone in the workforce," says Nurup Naimji, CEO of 321GoCheck. "Our platform was built with inclusivity in mind. This means as the regulation becomes more embedded and technology becomes more trusted we can deploy accessibility solutions that fit for specific purposes. Our ultimate goal is to give our clients confidence that we are just as effective doing a check on a disabled candidate."

321GoCheck meeting Zac Shaw and Mark Walker at an HSBC accessibility event.

How To Ensure EAA Compliance

321GoCheck's commitment to accessibility will be evident in every aspect of our service:

• Accessible Digital Interface: Adherence to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, ensuring compatibility with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies.
• Clear and Simple Communication: Simplified background checking process, making it easy for all parties to understand and participate in the verification journey.
• Real-Time Updates: Our system provides timely updates on the checking process, reducing stress and uncertainty for both employers and candidates.
• Centralised Document Management: By centralising sensitive documents and communications, we help speed up the onboarding process while maintaining accessibility standards.
• Microsoft Teams Integration: As an official Microsoft Partner, 321GoCheck allows users to initiate and manage background checks directly within Microsoft Teams, leveraging existing accessibility features.

Benefits of Choosing 321GoCheck for EAA-Compliant Background Checks

By partnering with 321GoCheck, companies can:

• Mitigate Legal Risks: Our EAA-compliant platform helps businesses avoid potential penalties associated with non-compliance.
• Expand Market Reach: By catering to the needs of individuals with disabilities, companies can tap into a significant market segment, enhancing their reputation and customer base.
• Improved Hiring Flow: Our digital solution automates tedious processes, integrates with other HR solutions, and offers real-time updates, making background checks more efficient than ever.
• Enhance Candidate Experience: 321GoCheck's user-friendly interface ensures that all candidates, regardless of ability, have a positive experience during the background check process.
• Stay Ahead of Regulatory Changes: Our "tech" solution is evolving so that it's aligned with business and technical requirements of the EAA regulations.

Source - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility

Preparing for the Future of Inclusive Employment

Now that the EAA applies, businesses that haven't yet reviewed their onboarding processes should do so. Doing so will not only help firms meet accessibility requirements but also position companies as leaders in inclusive hiring practices.

Our platform's ability to connect all parties involved in the background checking process - from HR managers to candidates and third-party verifiers - creates a transparent and accessible environment that benefits everyone. This level of connectivity and real-time communication is essential for building trust and ensuring a smooth onboarding process for all new employees, including those with disabilities.

Moreover, 321GoCheck's commitment to innovation means that we're constantly evolving our services to meet the changing needs of the employment landscape. Our use of cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning, combined with our robust tech stack, allows us to develop and release new features rapidly, keeping our clients at the forefront of compliant and efficient background checking practices.

Reflecting the perseverance needed to build accessible and inclusive employment systems.

2026 update: what the EAA means in practice

More than a year after the EAA started to apply, a few points have become clearer for employers and their suppliers:

• The EAA covers a defined list of consumer products and services, such as e-commerce, banking, e-books, telecoms and passenger transport ticketing. Background checks bought by employers are not on that list, but many of the businesses that hire through them are.
• The UK is not bound by the EAA. UK businesses that sell covered products or services to consumers in the EU still have to comply for those products and services.
• In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 already requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled job applicants, and that includes the steps of a background check.
• The practical benchmark is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). WCAG 2.2, published in October 2023, added criteria that matter for onboarding, such as accessible authentication and not asking people to re-enter information they have already given.

For candidates, that means a background check should work on a phone, with a screen reader and with a keyboard alone, use plain English, and offer another route, such as help from our support team, when a step can't be completed online.

Conclusion: Embracing Accessibility with 321GoCheck

The implementation of the European Accessibility Act represents a significant step towards creating a more inclusive society. For businesses, it's an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and equal opportunities. 321GoCheck is proud to be leading the way in providing EAA-compliant background checking solutions that not only meet legal requirements but also enhance the hiring process for all parties involved.

By choosing to partner with 321GoCheck, companies in the UK and EU can ease into EAA adoption knowing that their background checking processes will be compliant but also contribute to a more inclusive and diverse workforce. 321GoCheck will be your partner in creating an accessible and efficient hiring process that welcomes talent from all backgrounds and abilities.