National Register of Sacked People - for New Bosses To Check

PasturesNew

A database is going live at the end of this month where employers can check potential employees to see if they've been sacked from a previous job. Even where no charges were brought:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7389547.stm

dmg24

It is actually just to check whether a potential employee has been accused of:

* Theft or attempted theft of money, merchandise or property from company, suppliers or customers
* Falsification or forgery of documents
* Fraudulently obtaining money, services or information
* Damaging company property

There is also the option for the individual to apply to the ICO if incorrect information is held.

meester

That's not quite accurate:

The system holds details of individuals who have been dismissed (whether prosecuted or otherwise) or left the company whilst under suspicion of:

Theft or attempted theft of money, merchandise or property from the Company, its suppliers, staff or customers.
Falsification or forgery of documents.
Fraudulent acts resulting in the obtaining or intention of obtaining money, assets, services or information which would otherwise be denied
Causing a loss to the company or another party (eg Supplier)
Causing damage to Company property.

PasturesNew

dmg24 wrote: »

It is actually just to check whether a potential employee has been accused of:

* Theft or attempted theft of money, merchandise or property from company, suppliers or customers
* Falsification or forgery of documents
* Fraudulently obtaining money, services or information
* Damaging company property

There is also the option for the individual to apply to the ICO if incorrect information is held.

Being accused of doesn't always have a basis. I would support it if it were even as low as "charged with", but if a boss says you did something and sacks you then it would be wrong to be on the register if the boss was really sacking you because they or somebody else did it and you had no knowledge.

There might be an option, but you might never know you are on the list, or that there IS a list, or that they looked. They might be checking a potential short-list before inviting to interview.

And if you don't get the job because they check after interview, you'd still never know you were on the list, there was a list, they used the list. If you get a "Sorry, but no thanks" letter that's it. You never know why. You just accept that somebody else got it and they were better suited.

You could sit unemployed for months/years (at financial loss to yourself) never knowing you were on the list erroneously.

What would be the claims procedure if you applied for 20 jobs and got turned down for them all, then took a job at £5k/year less because it was the only offer you got... then somehow, a few years later found out you were on the list but it wasn't EVEN you? Or just a complete lie and you weren't sacked at all really. etc etc

dmg24

PasturesNew wrote: »

Being accused of doesn't always have a basis. I would support it if it were even as low as "charged with", but if a boss says you did something and sacks you then it would be wrong to be on the register if the boss was really sacking you because they or somebody else did it and you had no knowledge.

There might be an option, but you might never know you are on the list, or that there IS a list, or that they looked. They might be checking a potential short-list before inviting to interview.

And if you don't get the job because they check after interview, you'd still never know you were on the list, there was a list, they used the list. If you get a "Sorry, but no thanks" letter that's it. You never know why. You just accept that somebody else got it and they were better suited.

You could sit unemployed for months/years (at financial loss to yourself) never knowing you were on the list erroneously.

What would be the claims procedure if you applied for 20 jobs and got turned down for them all, then took a job at £5k/year less because it was the only offer you got... then somehow, a few years later found out you were on the list but it wasn't EVEN you? Or just a complete lie and you weren't sacked at all really. etc etc

Hence why you can apply to the ICO to have information amended/ removed.

As the scheme is being run by a private organisation, it would be relatively easy to sue both the person giving the information (the previous employer) and the person holding the information (the organisation running the database).

Surely this is information that would just be given in references? Therefore the only people that will be caught out are those that miss out employers on their cv/ application form.

PasturesNew

dmg24 wrote: »

Hence why you can apply to the ICO to have information amended/ removed.

As the scheme is being run by a private organisation, it would be relatively easy to sue both the person giving the information (the previous employer) and the person holding the information (the organisation running the database).

Surely this is information that would just be given in references? Therefore the only people that will be caught out are those that miss out employers on their cv/ application form.

The thing is, you might never know you're on the register.

Yes, the information would be given in references, except 2-3 employers down the line they might not even be asked. Many references (even if taken up as I've rarely had them taken) are only "1-2 employers, one of which must be your last one + a personal reference".

I've never been sacked nor done any of the offences. I just see the injustice it could cause to people who have no idea it exists and who have been wronged by some bad manager in the past who add them to the list out of spite.

Nobody's going to write to you to say "we didn't invite you for interview because according to this list you're a thieving nomad" or "you didn't get the job because the list says your a dodgy thieving sort"

brightonman123

rather worrying- is this allowed under Data Protection? and do the 'sackee's get any right to reply / amend false or malicious info?

Bismarck

Thanks for making me aware...I can see what they are trying to do but have we not had enough instances of abuses of information and power. This is so one-sided and without appeal so far as I can see. It won't provide the certainty it seeks but simply cause more confusion and mistrust.

PasturesNew

brightonman123 wrote: »

rather worrying- is this allowed under Data Protection? and do the 'sackee's get any right to reply / amend false or malicious info?

You can be removed. But are you on it? You might be on it already ....

I know I am 110% definitely NOT on it. . . or am I?

PasturesNew

Maybe I see more in this than others because all my working experience has been for small companies.

If you're asked to leave, you go.
No unions, no tribunals. No real way to argue back. You just leave.

It seems here a lot of people are working for large companies and know all about complaining, procedures, etc etc. This stuff is completely alien to me.

So, strip away the protections of large companies, tribunals, unions. Strip away people's knowing that they can complain, about what, how to go about it ... and you've left with a large chunk of the hard working population that "just get on with it".

Oldernotwiser

PasturesNew wrote: »

Maybe I see more in this than others because all my working experience has been for small companies.

If you're asked to leave, you go.
No unions, no tribunals. No real way to argue back. You just leave.

It seems here a lot of people are working for large companies and know all about complaining, procedures, etc etc. This stuff is completely alien to me.

So, strip away the protections of large companies, tribunals, unions. Strip away people's knowing that they can complain, about what, how to go about it ... and you've left with a large chunk of the hard working population that "just get on with it".

Employment protection legislation applies to both large and small organisations, as does your choice of whether or not to belong to a union. I'm sure that many people act as you say out of ignorance but, hopefully, information offered by sites like this will enable staff to know and understand their rights.