Data Protection

A

avantarklu

Registered User
Messages
52
Have a question for you regarding Data Protection and an employer's use of employees personal information.

The company that a friend of mine works for has informed all staff that their personal information (name, email and mobile phone numbers) have been provided to an outside 3rd party. The puspose of providing this information is to enter all staff members into a "lottery draw" in order to determine who can purchase a ticket to an upcoming major sporting event. All staff have been advised to inform management if they are contacted by the event organisors if they have been selected. All company "winners" will be required to turn over their ticket to the company in order that they be used for a client entertainment event.

Surely this can't be legal !
 
The company should not have issued the personal details without prior permission methinks, but send the above paragragh to [email protected] for clarification.

On the last bit of the email, this is just underhanded and a convienent way to have multiple entries to increase the chance of winning. How will the company know who won or not?
 
Unless your employer notified you when gathering your personal information that it would be given to a third party or they got your prior agreement to send it to the thrid party then it sounds to me like a breach of the data protection act.

Check the following link
[broken link removed]

C
 
Surely this can't be legal !


Its not legal and the matter should be reported to the office of data protection.

To my knowledge there have been two similar determinations by the office in recent months.

One involved the Department of Education who used union deduction details to deduct wages from Teachers involved in an industrial dispute. [broken link removed]

Another involved a financial institution which used employee payroll details to engage in marketing activites with their own staff.
[broken link removed]

In both cases if the information was gathered for the purpose of paying employees then this is the only use to which it can be put.

ajapale
 
This is truly disgraceful, a clear breach of the DP Act and total disregard and abuse of their Employee's. I would bring the hammer down on them, I know you cannot mention names but is it a large or new company ? By the way sounds like a very cash strapped one at that.
 
Appreciate all your comments and the links. Unfortunately, I do not think it would be appropriate to name the company. However, it is a well known (in it's field) multi national corporation with offices throughout the world (I was surprised by the number of locations they have). The Irish operation would be relatively small with employees number around 60-70

The greatest laugh is that this firm apparently offer HR-related services to some of Irelands' largest employers !!!
 
Surely this can't be legal !

It is not and you keep the prize :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top