Maternity Documents Missing!

[natalie_1982]

I submitted my maternity documents (MATB1 form, flexi working plan for return to work and maternity leave application) on 10th December. I contacted them 2 weeks ago as, depsite hand delivering them, I had not received any form of formal receipt. I have just had a phone call to say that the documents have been mislaid and I need to submit them again.

Thankfully I had a feeling this would happen (Our HR dept are useless) and so I took copies and can easily replace them without toomuch effort on my part, but is there anything I can do about the fact that documents disclosing personal information about myself are floating around my work place somewhere?

[bednobs]

the only thing you can do is find them

[natalie_1982]

Over 500 people work in my building, which is 100s of years old. They could be anywhere. I meant, what can I expect them to do about it? I am entitled to begin my mat leave this week, and I would have been up sh*t creek without a paddle had I wanted to do so.

[bednobs]

well you are not up that creek are you, so what do you want to be done? i dont understand what outcome you would like except for someone to find them. the only thing you can expect them to do is look for them surely? they can't apply for the certificates on your behalf, even if it was them who had lost them. They cant magic the certificates out of thin air, so either they find them, or you get more i would have thought!

[natalie_1982]

Well that's great attitude to have, no wonder people have such faith in their HR / Personell depts if the response you can expect to receive (and be ok with) is "Oooops, sorry, as expected, we have lost your paperwork, during a time which we understand is stressful enough already, you need to supply us with more".

As pointed out, this was expected (because the dept is notoriously crap) and I took the liberty of taking copies. Because I am not up sh*t creek is not the point really is it?

[bednobs]

i know its crap of them (you dont work for the nhs by any chance do you)? ;-)
but it would really help me understand if you could tell me what you wanted them to do about it. The cant turn back time or unlose them, so you are in the position you are in. I just can't think of anything they or you CAN do except find them or apply for more!
Are you suggesting they should pay you some compensation, or that you want to sue them for breach of data protection? I ask this cause i simply cannot see what else you might want out of this