A privacy
at work conference is to be held next month to try and resolve on-going
confusion over the data protection code.
The
privacy at work section of the code is intended to provide recommendations for
good practice, which employers will need to follow if they are to comply with
the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and the human rights and data
protection acts.
Iain
Bourne, strategic policy manager at the Information Commission said the
conference was effectively part of an extended consultation for this section of
the code because it was clear from the responses the commission has so far
received that employers need more guidance on the issue.
“We
were expecting this. What we did was put a marker down and see how people
responded. If everyone had been happy then we would have issued this section of
the code. Hopefully the conference will help us produce a better product and
one which is going to used and understood,” he said.
The
conference will be held in Manchester on June 28 and will include presentations
by employment law specialists, employers and the TUC.
Bourne
said the final privacy at work code of conduct will be issued in a number of
different sections covering areas such as recruitment, record keeping and
monitoring and will be published towards the end of the year.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday