The Pensions Regulator launched a nationwide enforcement campaign in February to check if companies are meeting their AE duties correctly.
Greater Manchester is the second area to be the focus of the short-notice inspections. Recently inspection teams visited several businesses around the city to check qualifying staff were being given the workplace pension they are entitled to.
TPR said the majority were fully compliant although data from some businesses is still being reviewed. TPR is using the visits to help understand the challenges faced and how they can help, for example improving its guidance.
The programme also highlights employers who haven’t taken the necessary steps to become compliant, which will pave the way for enforcement actions from TPR.
Visits will begin in other towns and cities across the UK in the following weeks. Employers are notified about an inspection a matter of days in advance of a visit from TPR.
TPR acting director of AE Darren Ryder said: "The vast majority of employers become compliant ahead of their deadline but visits help us to identify why some have not, so we can take action where we need to.
"Every employer has workplace pension duties and we are determined every worker gets the pension they are entitled to.
"Automatic enrolment is not an option, it's the law. Where we find employers are not complying with the law, we will use our powers to make them comply."
