Information Commissioner’s Office makes polite request to data controlling recruitment agencies to comply with law or face fines

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging recruitment agencies to meet their obligations under the Data Protection Act.

Under the Act, most organisations that process personal information electronically must notify the ICO.

However, its records show that only half the UK’s recruitment and employment agencies are registered as data controllers.

Failure to notify the ICO can result in prosecution and fines. Recently, the ICO successfully prosecuted a number of organisations for failure to comply, including one recruitment company which had to pay a £2,000 fine.

Simon Entwisle, chief operating officer at the ICO, said: “Notification is an important legal requirement under the Data Protection Act. Compliance with data protection principles ensure that personal information remains secure, accurate, up-to-date and is processed fairly.

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“Failure to notify is a serious offence and the ICO will not hesitate to take action against those organisations that flout the law in this way.”

Firms wishing to register can do so online at the ICO website.