Current employer sharing personal data with prospective employer - what to do?

moromir

Deleted_User wrote: »

The risk of transmission is minimal and requires blood-on-blood contact. As a typically ignorant person, you will realise that if she cuts herself, the person treating her would also need to have an exposed wound and even then it is highly unlikely transmission would occur.

Unlikely or not, there is a risk. I'm not saying the whole office needs to know her medical status but I would think it would be a good idea for her prospective boss to be made aware so that he/she can take the necessary precautions to protect his staff.

For example it might be a good idea for him/her to organise a basic first aid session, so that all members of staff are aware of the importance of personal safety before approaching someone in need of first aid, ie gloves in all cases, aprons and masks in the case of more major trauma and those little plastic things for CPR whose name I have forgotten.

I know none of those measures are foolproof and I have absolutely no knowledge on the legalities of such matters, but I'd personally feel morally responsible to tell my boss so that he could make the necessary arrangements to protect my colleagues (ie beef up the first aid kits, make sure everyone had sufficient first aid awareness)

[Deleted User]

Zazen999 wrote: »

Has she asked the person who gave the reference why they were so indepth with the information?

I think she should raise a grievance and seek an assurance that, having broached privacy laws, they restrict their references and not give information that is private as this was surrendered by your OH rather than being a legal necessity to provide.

However I would seek the legal guidance on this, speak to the union, speak to ACAS and get someone legal to check the grievance before you submit it.

And I would put certain users on ignore. Life's too short.

Yes, good advice!

The reason for my original post is to get advice, because unfortunately just asking her referee isn't an obvious solution. As indicated, they don't always see eye-to-eye (professionally, they are fine, but we believe that my OH rubs her up the wrong way because she does, from time to time, challenge her boss). In fact, the company (local authority) are undergoing massive restructuring and I guess it wouldn't be too daft to say that her boss would quite happily put a spanner in the works for my OH.

[Deleted User]

moromir wrote: »

Unlikely or not, there is a risk. I'm not saying the whole office needs to know her medical status but I would think it would be a good idea for her prospective boss to be made aware so that he/she can take the necessary precautions to protect his staff.

For example it might be a good idea for him/her to organise a basic first aid session, so that all members of staff are aware of the importance of personal safety before approaching someone in need of first aid, ie gloves in all cases, aprons and masks in the case of more major trauma and those little plastic things for CPR whose name I have forgotten.

I know none of those measures are foolproof and I have absolutely no knowledge on the legalities of such matters, but I'd personally feel morally responsible to tell my boss so that he could make the necessary arrangements to protect my colleagues (ie beef up the first aid kits, make sure everyone had sufficient first aid awareness)

Moromir, I know you have good intentions but if only I could make it clear what the risks were to you, you would understand. The risk really is so negligible. And - most importantly - the risk isn't specifically at work. Should she notify the bus driver when she goes to work, in case she's injured in an accident? Or the waiter at the restaurant, in case she cuts herself on a knife?

The risk is tiny - and what measures would they change to accommodate? Tell everyone that they should wear gloves to deal with her? This is, of course, assuming that this condition has rendered her incapable of putting a plaster on herself if she cuts herself.

mariefab

From the Information Commissioner's Office website:

Call us on 0303 123 1113. Our helpline is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

dmg24

lucylucky wrote: »

Which is one of my reasons for saying in this case it is not an interesting publication. It was just part of the armoury of WTM in wind up mode I assume

The document outlines how medical information should be treated by data controllers - that is very relevant!

OP, I am still not sure what your partner would like the outcome of the situation to be?

[Deleted User]

moromir wrote: »

Unlikely or not, there is a risk. I'm not saying the whole office needs to know her medical status but I would think it would be a good idea for her prospective boss to be made aware so that he/she can take the necessary precautions to protect his staff.

For example it might be a good idea for him/her to organise a basic first aid session, so that all members of staff are aware of the importance of personal safety before approaching someone in need of first aid, ie gloves in all cases, aprons and masks in the case of more major trauma and those little plastic things for CPR whose name I have forgotten.

I know none of those measures are foolproof and I have absolutely no knowledge on the legalities of such matters, but I'd personally feel morally responsible to tell my boss so that he could make the necessary arrangements to protect my colleagues (ie beef up the first aid kits, make sure everyone had sufficient first aid awareness)

One final thing: I see your point, but she is being interviewed for a job. She hasn't got the job yet. If she gets the job, then sure, perhaps she should tell someone in HR. But she is just applying for a job - she hasn't even been offered it yet (and may never be).

GEEGEE8

I would ignore WLM, he is an idiot. Pure and simple.

I think you are right OP & wish you all the luck..!

[Deleted User]

dmg24 wrote: »

The document outlines how medical information should be treated by data controllers - that is very relevant!

OP, I am still not sure what your partner would like the outcome of the situation to be?

I was asking: what would you do?

Challenge her boss but risk aggravating her?
Report her to the information commissioner and crack a walnut with a sledgehammer?
Disclose this further to her interviewer?
Complain formally to her HR department?
Shrug it off and hope she doesn't mention it again?

Person_one

Weirdlittleman wrote: »

I completely disagree
Your OH has a blood condition which correct me if I am wrong sounds like hepatitis and can be spread by blood. Yes the risk may be less in an office but if she suffered a cut and her colleagues treated her they would be at risk. Is any of this wrong?

If she suffered a cut at work she should only be treated by a trained first aider who should know the precautions to take when dealing with potential biohazard, which everyone's blood is classed as.

jimbms

Deleted_User wrote: »

The point is: no-one would ever have known that she has this condition. But now they do, and it carries a real stigma.

I presume what she has is one of the two main things caught via contaminated blood, if so why is it a stigma, if a person treats anyone with these conditions as though it is a stigma then that employer is biggoted and not worth working for. However I do agree with others that these condtition do carry some high risk of cross contamination to any others with open wounds/sores and as such an employer has the right to know so that in the event of an accident precautions can be taken and emergency services can be aware and take the necessary precautions. Just stand back a moment and think, how would she feel if she found she had infected another person because she had not made them aware. Don't always assume everybody considers others with such a narrow mind, many would accept her condition and help her ensure her safety and that of others.