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The law of employment

Data protection

Data protection laws exist to strike a balance between the rights of living individuals
to privacy and the ability of an organisation to use data for the purposes of their
business.

Some countries will have laws which give individuals the right to know what
information is held about them. The law can provide a framework to ensure that
personal information is handled properly.

The purpose of any such legislation is to:

 Give rules and principles concerning the use of data.

 Provide individuals with important rights concerning data held about them.

Principles

Anyone who processes personal information must ensure the data is:

 processed fairly and lawfully.

 obtained only for specified and lawful purposes.

 adequate, relevant and not excessive.

 accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.

 kept no longer than is necessary

 processed in accordance with an individual's rights.

 kept secure; and

 not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.

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