Employers to set up database of workers accused of theft or damage

Jess "Go back to Myspace and TKmaxx with your bullshitter friends."
Posts: 1793 Joined: 26-11-04 Location: Brighton
Submitted by Jess on 8 May, 2008 - 12:54.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7389547.stm

Accusations of theft or damage at work, which does not need to have reported to the police.Right so if your ex boss has a grudge against you they can put you on this database and you will never work again. But its OK because you have the right to appeal, once you've found out why you keep getting turned down for jobs...

revol68 "MILF Hunter"
Posts: 17215 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
8 May, 2008 - 13:01

that can't be legal by a fucking mile!

Jack "In it for spite"
Posts: 9869 Joined: 22-09-03 Location: Brighton
8 May, 2008 - 13:05

it's a joint venture with the home office, so may well be legal. Both TUC and liberty are talking about it being bad rather than potentially illegal.

Demogorgon303 "Against All National Flags - Workers Have No Country!"
Posts: 955 Joined: 05-07-05
8 May, 2008 - 13:09

I'd have thought it will only be legal if the companies concerned gain permission to forward on details of their employees to a third party. Otherwise there would be a data protection issue. Of course, this is relatively easy to obtain by putting it into a contract of employment or similar.

fruitloop "Down with the lesbians"
Posts: 139 Joined: 07-02-06
8 May, 2008 - 14:11

Persumably it would be covered by existing libel laws if the information was untrue, which would mean that employers would be required to prove any accusations made. A nice fat court case might make the whole business look a lot less appealing from the bosses point of view.

lrnec
Posts: 91 Joined: 29-10-07 Location: Belfast
9 May, 2008 - 12:44

Do you not have to be informed if your details are input into any database? I could have sworn there was something about it, it was something to do with anti-spam cons but still?

Demogorgon303 "Against All National Flags - Workers Have No Country!"
Posts: 955 Joined: 05-07-05
9 May, 2008 - 12:58
Quote:
Do you not have to be informed if your details are input into any database? I could have sworn there was something about it, it was something to do with anti-spam cons but still?

The Data Protection Act says something along the lines that whenever Data is collected from you, the Data Collector must state what they are going to do with that information at the point of collection. This is normally buried in the small print of privacy policies, credit agreements, contracts of employment etc.

So, for sake of argument, I buy the latest Pneumatic "Driller" Orgasmatron dildo from Revol68's online sex shop and the Terms and Conditions on his website make no mention of his passing on my data to third parties. Now, Revol68 wants to make extra cash and decides to sell my contact details to Jack's porn business who then proceeds to mail me asking if I want to take up a subscription to his "Maximum Insertion" quarterly. Revol68 has committed an offense because he has passed on my details without stating clearly what was going to happen to my data.

That, at least, is the general principle as I understand it. In practice, it doesn't offer any protection at all because all Revol68 has to do is put a clause in the T&Cs saying he may pass on my personal information to third parties. If I want my shiny Orgasmatron, I have no choice but to click "I accept". I can't see why similar clauses can't be built in employment contracts.