Health record at work

FeFiDoh

FeFiDoh

FeFiDoh

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2005
Posts
7,615
Location
Swindon
Quick back story. I was in work last Tues/Weds, called in sick Thurs/Fri/Sat, kept in contact with my manager each day informing him of how I felt and if I would be in the following day. Followed all the procedures set out by work itself.

Got in to work today and the people around me all told me my name was on a white board in the managers office along with the reason I had been off ill. I thought they were joking so I went to take a look. On a big white board on the wall of the office, which every employee has to go in at the end of the day to sign the sheet to say they are leaving the building was my name, managers name, date I first off, a reason why and the last box basically had a transcript of a message I left my manager. I had stated I had been to the Dr's, what he said it was and I expected to be back in today.

I spoke to the union guy who couldn't believe they were doing it and had raised this concern with the new area manager. Told me to get a photo of it, which I have and to put a grievance in. I am super angry at this as I feel this information should not be made visible to anyone else.

Now this has come into affect some time between my days off last week as the previous 3.5 years they have never done this before. There are around 10 people up there with all varying reasons, one with a bereavement and stating the family member.

What are my options here? The grievance should hold up shouldn't it as surely there is no way they are allowed to do this? This kind of stuff is personal and I am sure people with more severe reasons for being off would not want this information on display for all to see either.
 
That does sounds out of order - need to find out whether it's official company practise or just a power crazed manager being an idiot. Do you feel violated?
 
Sounds like they are breaking personal data laws tbh. Absence records containing medical information are considered sensitive data and so the management are contravening the law in giving that data out to everyone in such a public way.
 
In response to why I have no idea.
I am pretty sure this is not company wide as it had never happened at our old office, new manager came in and after speaking to my line manager he said this had been done by the new area manager.

I got pointed to this http://ico.org.uk/for_organisations...ck_guide_to_the_employment_practices_code.pdf

Which states any information held by the employer to be seen by as few people as possible and that "workers can legitimately expect to keep their personal health
information private and expect that employers will respect this privacy."

Not sure if violated is the right word but I am miffed that I feel like it has been made public almost. It is on me whether I want to share the reasons for me being off.
 
Sounds like a little manager is trying to make changes on attendance records in your office. Broadcasting medical information is just a no no let alone bereavement details

He could quite easily conduct Return to Work Interviews and keep the details private, it's a method I've been using for years (obviously company policy) but it does deter people from taking time off for no good reason.

You have every right to raise a grievance and hopefully HR will teach this little man a lesson.
 
Castiel said:
Sounds like they are breaking personal data laws tbh. Absence records containing medical information are considered sensitive data and so the management are contravening the law in giving that data out to everyone in such a public way.
Click to expand...

This.

The health records should not be visible to other employees and is best stored on a secure computer for future records.
 
O we do return to work meetings already for any time off, that has always been the way. I literally have no idea why he has now implemented this at all. When talking to my line manager, I could tell he did not approve of it but it was his boss that told them to start doing it. Seems wildly inappropriate and I feel like escalating it as this is completely unjust. I assume I am one of the first people to have been put on this board and to have come back to work already so I am not sure who else knows about it.
 
Man up, if you have nothing to hide there is nothing wrong with them knowing.

I guess you are trying to hide something, hence the anger.

Its same with NSA and stuff, dont do anything wrong and it doesnt matter.
 
They can put the day you were off etc but shouldn't include why or have a transcript of the phone call if it contained that information either. It's a breach of confidentiality and the Information Commissioners Office is the place to contact if you want to raise a complaint.
 
areksnumbr1sxylady said:
Man up, if you have nothing to hide there is nothing wrong with them knowing.

I guess you are trying to hide something, hence the anger.

Its same with NSA and stuff, dont do anything wrong and it doesnt matter.
Click to expand...

Of course his privacy and his employers respect and legal obligation to protect that privacy are important., and of course it's wrong if they neglect their compliance in this way.

It has nothing to do with whether he has anything to hide, but about about his proprietary rights to privacy.
 
Well then he'd be instructed to not go into work? I've told people to stay at home (with a doctor's note of course) and if they felt up to it to work from home if they were still infectious.

Putting this information publicly is not really acceptable no matter how "honourable" the intentions.
 
areksnumbr1sxylady said:
Well so is citizen surveillance :confused:

Its a common good, what if he had a Flu or something, people need to know so they can stay away and not interact with him.
Click to expand...

He wasn't at work so that's a poor excuse, and the law states it is wrong. It has nothing to do with the common good, no one has a need to know his medical history or reasons for his sickness.
 
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