Notice Handed in / Employment Agency query

DebtFreePlanning

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

4 months ago I started a new job. My new job is one that I was put forward for by a Recruitment Agency. I joined at the same time as 10 other new recruits, as the business went through a large expansion. To cut a very, very long story short, this morning I handed my notice in. Less than 2 hours after doing so, I received a call from the agency that put me forward for the role initially, informing me that they had been called by my employer that morning and told that I had handed my notice in.

The agency was - frankly - quite rude to me about my decision. But that's fine - I am not bothered by that. But I am bothered by the fact that my employer called the agency, and specifically told them that I was leaving. Is this something that they are allowed to do? I am perhaps being naïve here but I would have thought there is potentially some data protection/privacy issues around this?

In normal circumstances, I would not be bothered. And it is not that I am looking to make any sort of complaint as such - at the end of day, I am leaving so to some extent, 'so be it'. But there are confidential reasons why I am leaving, and so it put me in an very uncomfortable situation when the agency called me directly asking for answers why I am leaving. So I am just looking to understand - is it normal/acceptable for an employer to specifically name which individual is leaving? 

Dakta

I suppose a lot may depend what you signed up for with the recruitment agency and what you may have consented to? Given employee retention is something that an agency would like to maintain for reputations sake I wouldn't be surprised if they want some kind of feedback on this and rope it into the process. The copany phoning the agency probably had little to do with you personally and just the company's displeasure at investing money in a service that didn't work out.

That said if you really want you can ring them up and ask them to delete any data they hold on you (the agency that is) and to cease processing unless they have a legal basis for doing so. 

Personally, I'd do the above if I wished to cut ties completely but otherwise just move on with life

68ComebackSpecial

Usually an agency only receives/ retains their placement fee if the employee remains in post for a minimum period so it is likely that the employer has informed them because they either have to find a replacement (with no additional fee for the work involved) or that they are losing their fee because you're leaving. An agency is very likely going to be miffed by being put in this position. Whether the agency was then unprofessional in the manner with which they have dealt with you is something only you can determine, but this might explain to you why they would be less than pleased to hear of your resignation.

JJC1956

Obviously the Agency is not interested in your welfare or why you handed your notice in, if they were they would have invited you back into the office for a chat and maybe discuss something more suitable for you, they almost certainly lost their commission. The company you worked for probably use the agency all the time, therefore they would have needed to tell them you left.

Sandtree

DebtFreePlanning said:

The agency was - frankly - quite rude to me about my decision. But that's fine - I am not bothered by that. But I am bothered by the fact that my employer called the agency, and specifically told them that I was leaving. Is this something that they are allowed to do? I am perhaps being naïve here but I would have thought there is potentially some data protection/privacy issues around this?

In normal circumstances, I would not be bothered. And it is not that I am looking to make any sort of complaint as such - at the end of day, I am leaving so to some extent, 'so be it'. But there are confidential reasons why I am leaving, and so it put me in an very uncomfortable situation when the agency called me directly asking for answers why I am leaving. So I am just looking to understand - is it normal/acceptable for an employer to specifically name which individual is leaving? 

Presumably its a perm role that you left?

The agency will be getting paid up to 20% of your first years salary as a commission for finding you... this could be a lump sum on your starting or could be a periodic payment. With your leaving before the first year part of that commission has to be repaid or the monies will stop flowing and the agency has to be told.

Similarly, the team now has a vacancy and almost certainly will speak to the agency about needing to recruit someone to fill your space. 

By the sounds of it they didn't share your "confidential reasons for leaving" hence the questions. Most agencies however will also be thinking... 1) they want to know why you are leaving etc so they can choose a better candidate to replace you that'll stay around longer as they only get paid on success  2) they'll want to know if you will be wanting a new job and what would better suit you than this 

Claddagh_Noir

The agency are disgruntled because they will lose out on their commission fee or a percentage of it.  Also the employer would have called the agency because their are their client, prompting them to find your successor.