Attendance

[crapmemory]

My son has asked to see his attendance record at work. He has been told it will take 40 days because of the data protection act or he can pay �10. What is this all about?

[buildersmate]

Sounds like he works in the public sector then?

[Buenchico]

The word 'or', in your question, may be incorrect. I suspect it should be 'and'.

With only certain exceptions, anyone has the right to see any information held about them on computers (and sometimes on manual systems) by any organisation. (For example, anyone can demand a copy of any video recording, showing themself, taken on a CCTV system. Or they can demand a copy of their 'police record').

However, in order to prevent organisations being swamped with loads of possibly unnecessary requests (and to help pay for the staff time invloved in finding the information), a charge may be made for providing the information. The maximum charge is regulated by law, and it's currently �10. (In practice, it's not only the 'maximum' charge, it's also the 'standard' one).

Also, those holding personal data are allowed a maximum period of 40 days to supply the information.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_prote ction.aspx

Chris

[crapmemory]

He doesn't work in the public sector,his boss was saying he had been off sick when he hadn't. As soon as he told them he had contacted his union rep they suddenly made the information available but didn't apologise for getting their facts wrong.(His record showed he had not been off sick when they said he had!)