Company takeover - personal details

xred5x
xred5x Posts: 9 Forumite
in Employment, jobseeking & training
The company I work for was bought over in the middle of 2017. To date all I have received is an email to inform me of the takeover and a 5 minute meeting to let me know that there will be no changes to my contract.

Yesterday I received a ‘New Employee Form’ from the parent company. While I do understand that they might want more details on file they do ask for a lot of details. I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me to why these details below are being asked for and if they are allowed to ask for them.

Passport No.
NHS No.
Personal Email address.
Last time I consulted my Doctor & reason?
Do I drink alcohol & how many units do I consume a week?
How many days have I been absent in the last 12 months?

I don’t know if my role in this new company will change but they are expecting me to sign this form. I feel very uneasy about doing this and believe the new company are being vague about details.
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Comments

  • Xbigman
    Xbigman Posts: 3,884 Forumite
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    Those questions seem quite intrusive and personaly I would not fill this form in. It does needs to be put in some context though. If you fly planes for a living I can see why some of those questions might be more valid.
    How much pressure are your employers putting you under to fill the form in?




    Darren
    Xbigman's guide to a happy life.

    Eat properly
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  • sangie595
    sangie595 Posts: 6,092 Forumite
    Your passport is one of the documents required to prove your ability to work in this country. Refuse to provide it and you can be dismissed. Actually, they should require the original documents to prove your eligibility too work in the UK.

    Days absent should be a mattet of record - why can't you confirm this?

    The rest, you can refuse to give. If you end up on the "first to go" list, that's your choice. There is no legal reason why they can't ask, and you are perfectly entitled to refuse to answer. Unless yippy have something to hide though, I'd answer...
  • steampowered
    steampowered Posts: 6,176 Forumite
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    The parent company may well be arranging a company-wide life assurance policy to cover all employees. This is a very common benefit for employers to provide.

    It may well be that the employer needs to collect this information in order to get a price from the insurance company.

    The information being requested is "sensitive" data for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, and usually requires your 'explicit' consent before the employer can hold it. If the employer is not telling you the precise reason, your consent is not 'explicit' and the employer will almost certainly be breaching the Data Protection Act. In reality though pointing this out is not going to get you anywhere.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,199 Forumite
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    I don't think that it is unreasonable for you to ask why they are asking.
    The passport number may be related to the right to work rules they have to comply with, although they are supposed to see the actual document.

    Sick days I'd expect them to know, as your employer, but they may be using the same form for you and other existing staff as they would for actual new employees.

    Asking about medical history and alcohol consumption is a much greyer area and I think in your position I would be asking why the questions are asked and who will have access to the information.

    Do they offer an employee health plan?
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203 Forumite
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    sangie595 wrote: »
    Your passport is one of the documents required to prove your ability to work in this country. Refuse to provide it and you can be dismissed.

    What about people who don't have a passport? I'd have difficulty, never having had a passport.
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 46,014 Forumite
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    kingfisherblue wrote: »
    What about people who don't have a passport? I'd have difficulty, never having had a passport.
    Other documents are acceptable, but it gets a heck of a lot more complicated ...
    Signature removed for peace of mind
  • MEM62
    MEM62 Posts: 4,746 Forumite
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    kingfisherblue wrote: »
    What about people who don't have a passport? I'd have difficulty, never having had a passport.

    Then I would be asking for your driving license and birth certificate. If you cannot produce these I would not be able to offer you employment.

    Employers have an obligation to ensure that the staff they employ and in the country legally and that they have the right to work. These checks apply to all staff.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    kingfisherblue wrote: »
    What about people who don't have a passport? I'd have difficulty, never having had a passport.

    Didn't get a passport until I was 30 plus years of age - specifically to meet these types of checks y'know. Went through an interview to prove identity, the book then came. The price paid was certainly worthwhile as it's not like it doesn't last a while.

    Never to old to get your passport.
    https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport/your-passport-interview
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 46,014 Forumite
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    MEM62 wrote: »
    Then I would be asking for your driving license and birth certificate. If you cannot produce these I would not be able to offer you employment.
    I don't think that's enough: the list I linked to says that if it's a birth certificate, there has to be another government document giving a permanent NINo. I don't recall my NINo being on my driving licence - and why would it be, since you don't have to be entitled to work her to apply for a driving licence?

    A driving licence doesn't appear anywhere on that list ...
    MEM62 wrote: »
    Employers have an obligation to ensure that the staff they employ and in the country legally and that they have the right to work. These checks apply to all staff.
    True.
    Signature removed for peace of mind
  • Xbigman
    Xbigman Posts: 3,884 Forumite
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    Why is this thread concentrating on right to work documents? The OP was asked for their passport number only, not for right to work documents. There is another question asking for their NHS number, not any proof of anything. Those two questions, as asked, seem useless.

    The Two questions I would have the biggest issues with are the last doctors visit (in my case nothing to do with my ability to work) and the drinking question (none of works business as long as I don't turn up drunk).



    Darren
    Xbigman's guide to a happy life.

    Eat properly
    Sleep properly
    Save some money
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