Being recorded without my permission

gwen80

Hi

I resigned from my job on Friday. Shortly afterwards, I was called into a meeting with both the Managing Director and Head of Business Adminstration. We had a brief conversation where they said they'd accepted my resignation (not really for them to decide if I can leave or not, but hey ho) and for my remaining time with the company I'd be working on a different project. Fine. However, thinking back there was a mobile on the table. There's not normally a phone out on the table when I have a meeting with either of them. The Business Administration guy picked it up and appeared to be doing something with it as I got up to leave. I strongly suspect the meeting was being recorded.

Can I be recorded without my permission? If it were a conversation they felt should be recorded I'd have thought it only fair that I also get the opportunity to record it and/or take someone in with me.

Thanks

Gwen

alibean121

Man picks up mobile after meeting?

SailorSam

alibean121 wrote: »

Man picks up mobile after meeting?

All the Op was asking was can she be recorded ?
And she pointed out that something out of the ordinary went on at the meeting. Especially with getting transferred to a different job these type of things could make you think ........ Don't they trust me?
It all may be very innocent, she hasn't accused them of anything.

gwen80

SailorSam wrote: »

All the Op was asking was can she be recorded ?
And she pointed out that something out of the ordinary went on at the meeting. Especially with getting transferred to a different job these type of things could make you think ........ Don't they trust me?
It all may be very innocent, she hasn't accused them of anything.

Thank you.

It is out of the ordinary but they're a thoroughly unpleasant organisation to work for, hence my abrupt resignation on Friday. I'm the third person to resign or be bullied out in six months. People rarely leave on good terms. Since working there I've also discovered that they have a very bad reputation in the industry.

I've found a download of a former employees mailbox on the server. They also keep an excel file (password protected) on former employees. They're more than slightly paranoid with zero insight into how their own behaviour could be contributing to their current recruitment/staff retention issues.

The question I asked was if it was legal to record someone without their permission.

gwen80

blondebubbles wrote: »

Doubt you could prove it was being recorded. I know many people that sit their phone on the table during meetings.

Permission to be sought from both parties though to record any meetings. I think there are a few exceptions eg suspected criminal activity

Is it a legal requirement to seek permission? From my perspective, if they felt a need to record a meeting (and I realise I'd have difficulty proving it), then it's only fair to offer me the same opportunity and/or allow me to have someone accompany me.

usefulmale

A trick I use if I want to take a voice recording of a meeting etc without the other side realising it is to have a pad on table and pen in hand and ask if it is OK to record this meeting, whilst nodding towards the pen and paper.

Everytime I have done this, people answer yes, thinking you mean take notes. Its impossible for them to prove they only meant written notes.

Did any of the people present do anything similar to that?

pinkshoes

I am quite sure you do not need permission to record anyone, but unless you do seek permission, you cannot then use it as evidence against them.

I used to record my boss lying a lot, then let others listen for a laugh.

SailorSam

We've talked a lot on these forums about recording when the Dwp send people for Atos medicals. A lot of people have said that when they tried to record the medical it was stopped, but the Dwp say they will supply the equipment to record if requested............... It's said that this equipment is often broken or not available though.

xapprenticex

end of the day, IF you were being recorded, it cant be used against you because they didnt have permission to record you.

You could always ask, but as stated, phones on tables happens all the time.

Flyonthewall

OP I think it is a bit of a grey area and it would possibly depend on how they plan to use the recordings (if they were in fact recording you). In some legal situations the recordings may be taken into consideration, while in others it would be dismissed.

As there was no warning about a recording and no permission given it probably wouldn't look to good on them if they tried to use it, although you probably wouldn't be able to take any legal action against them for having it unless it was in some way against the Data Protection Act or you suffered a loss because of it or something like that. However, it is something you'd have to seek official legal advice for.

usefulmale wrote: »

A trick I use if I want to take a voice recording of a meeting etc without the other side realising it is to have a pad on table and pen in hand and ask if it is OK to record this meeting, whilst nodding towards the pen and paper.

Everytime I have done this, people answer yes, thinking you mean take notes. Its impossible for them to prove they only meant written notes.

Did any of the people present do anything similar to that?

That is very misleading and I imagine if ever someone went down the legal route that having done that would not work in your favour! It may be impossible to prove exactly what you meant but a description of the situation would certainly suggest you did not make it clear and therefore any Judge would be on their side, not yours.

gwen80

usefulmale wrote: »

A trick I use if I want to take a voice recording of a meeting etc without the other side realising it is to have a pad on table and pen in hand and ask if it is OK to record this meeting, whilst nodding towards the pen and paper.

Everytime I have done this, people answer yes, thinking you mean take notes. Its impossible for them to prove they only meant written notes.

Did any of the people present do anything similar to that?

No, no-one indicated that anything would be recorded in any way.