Company demanding personal information
Company demanding personal information
Author
Discussion

handpaper

Original Poster:

1,712 posts

234 months

Tuesday 27th October
quotequote all
under threat of sanction.

So there's a delivery point, let's refer to it as 'Alan'.

Drivers making deliveries to their distribution centres are required to provide their full name and date of birth, confirmed by ID. This is then compared with an internal database, to confirm that the driver has completed a mandatory training course* on operating the necessary equipment required to make such a delivery. They have a data protection policy and everything.

Trouble is, no-one else does it this way. I have had to complete many 'site induction' courses, and in every other case the result is a card with my name and a confirmation that I've watched their boring video and/or passed their simple test. I have quite a collection - and most are from far more sensitive operations than a supermarket DC. Their direct competitor (we'll call them Leon) requires a tick in a box marked "I know what I'm doing" at most.

Now I don't work for this company. And I don't have much of a choice about whether I go to their site(s). So I don't see why it could be acceptable for them to collect personal information on me, for the convenience of the system that they alone choose to operate. And if I object, I am "rejected as a driver on the system", which means I cannot make a delivery to any of their sites in the UK, regardless of which haulier or supplier I happen to be working for. This has the potential to make working as a driver for any employer difficult.

I don't know if this behaviour is illegal, but it feels as if it ought to be. Any comment?


* watch a five minute video and answer ten questions. There is no practical demonstration on how to operate the three pieces of equipment involved.

drdel

502 posts

159 months

Tuesday 27th October
quotequote all
Unfortunately for you the industry is riddled with rule benders and the company's trying to protect itself.

You can make your own decision and decide if this is a deal breaker.

CHLEMCBC

1,993 posts

48 months

Tuesday 27th October
quotequote all
Are you going to be at some kind of risk by providing the information or are you just being stubborn?

Jinba Ittai

705 posts

122 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Assuming they adhere to all data protection regulations (and why wouldn’t they?) What exactly is the problem?

Bill

58,884 posts

286 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
handpaper said:
"Company demanding personal information under threat of sanction."
You've blown this up out of all proportion IMO. Their system seems over the top but it's the one they run. Your employer has all of this info and more, so look on it as an extension of that.

BertBert

21,327 posts

242 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Who knows whether it matters or not, but if it's your employer holding the info you have more legal protection than a third party with it.

With a third party you have GDPR, with your employer you also have enjoyment law.


Bill

58,884 posts

286 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Fair enough, but what practical difference does that make?

Jules Sunley

5,549 posts

124 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Bloody hell, just give them your details and do the work. What is the issue? Try working in my industry (finance) and the intrusive audits I have - but I play along as that is what is required unless I wanted to change my line of work.Strange thing to risk losing work over imo.

fooman

1,293 posts

95 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Business want to know identity of workers on its site? They probably have legitimate reasons. I would get over it.

Mike Legerwood

202 posts

6 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Jinba Ittai said:
Assuming they adhere to all data protection regulations (and why wouldn't they?) What exactly is the problem?
As above. Do you have concerns with company's data protection systems OP?

ATG

23,843 posts

303 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Asking someone to prove who they are is entirely reasonable. It's normal to want to know who you're dealing with.

Monkeylegend

29,560 posts

262 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
handpaper said:
under threat of sanction.

So there's a delivery point, let's refer to it as 'Alan'.

Drivers making deliveries to their distribution centres are required to provide their full name and date of birth, confirmed by ID. This is then compared with an internal database, to confirm that the driver has completed a mandatory training course* on operating the necessary equipment required to make such a delivery. They have a data protection policy and everything.

Trouble is, no-one else does it this way. I have had to complete many 'site induction' courses, and in every other case the result is a card with my name and a confirmation that I've watched their boring video and/or passed their simple test. I have quite a collection - and most are from far more sensitive operations than a supermarket DC. Their direct competitor (we'll call them Leon) requires a tick in a box marked "I know what I'm doing" at most.

Now I don't work for this company. And I don't have much of a choice about whether I go to their site(s). So I don't see why it could be acceptable for them to collect personal information on me, for the convenience of the system that they alone choose to operate. And if I object, I am "rejected as a driver on the system", which means I cannot make a delivery to any of their sites in the UK, regardless of which haulier or supplier I happen to be working for. This has the potential to make working as a driver for any employer difficult.

I don't know if this behaviour is illegal, but it feels as if it ought to be. Any comment?


* watch a five minute video and answer ten questions. There is no practical demonstration on how to operate the three pieces of equipment involved.
Where do Alan and Leon fit in in all of this?

Nose and face spring top mind.

Mike Legerwood

202 posts

6 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Monkeylegend said:
Where do Alan and Leon fit in in all of this?

Nose and face spring top mind.
I think they are friends with Tessa, Sandra and Morris.

98elise

32,818 posts

192 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Jinba Ittai said:
Assuming they adhere to all data protection regulations (and why wouldn t they?) What exactly is the problem?
This

Giving your name and date of birth is hardly a big issue.

Kevmo1969

31 posts

12 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
I don't see what the problem is.
If i understand this correctly they are asking for a drivers identity to be confirmed with ID and to complete mandatory training before being allowed on their sites. Why is this such a difficult thing to comply with?
They are just ensuring that you are who you say you are and covering their backsides with regard to operating machinery on their sites. Nothing illegal in that.
How good or bad the training is is a different matter.
As said above, either.
1. Suck it up and carry on
or
2. Fight it and probably end up looking for alternative employment.


Chimune

4,346 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
98elise said:
This

Giving your name and date of birth is hardly a big issue.
This.

Having a crappy card with no proper link or verification to the person sounds utterly useless and would likely expose the supermarket should someone die as a result of training failure.

Linking the training to the person via minimal personal data is an appropriate solution.

It protects both parties. You should be more concerned about the crappy card outfits, not the ones doing it properly.


48k

17,591 posts

179 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
handpaper said:
under threat of sanction.

So there's a delivery point, let's refer to it as 'Alan'.

Drivers making deliveries to their distribution centres are required to provide their full name and date of birth, confirmed by ID. This is then compared with an internal database, to confirm that the driver has completed a mandatory training course* on operating the necessary equipment required to make such a delivery. They have a data protection policy and everything.

Trouble is, no-one else does it this way. I have had to complete many 'site induction' courses, and in every other case the result is a card with my name and a confirmation that I've watched their boring video and/or passed their simple test. I have quite a collection - and most are from far more sensitive operations than a supermarket DC. Their direct competitor (we'll call them Leon) requires a tick in a box marked "I know what I'm doing" at most.

Now I don't work for this company. And I don't have much of a choice about whether I go to their site(s). So I don't see why it could be acceptable for them to collect personal information on me, for the convenience of the system that they alone choose to operate. And if I object, I am "rejected as a driver on the system", which means I cannot make a delivery to any of their sites in the UK, regardless of which haulier or supplier I happen to be working for. This has the potential to make working as a driver for any employer difficult.

I don't know if this behaviour is illegal, but it feels as if it ought to be. Any comment?


* watch a five minute video and answer ten questions. There is no practical demonstration on how to operate the three pieces of equipment involved.
But the ones who issue you a card with your name on are also collecting your pesonal information so why doesn't that bother you too?

alscar

10,035 posts

244 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Hardly seems very intrusive or unusual assuming you have nothing to hide.
Whether others ask for it or not is academic.
I’d give the information and move on.

t.boydy

270 posts

93 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Doesn't seem like a big issue to me. Lets be right, if you buy alcohol off Amazon you have to give them your name and date of birth...

98elise

32,818 posts

192 months

Wednesday 28th October
quotequote all
Having been a contractor (so working on many companies premises not as an employee) I can't think of one that didn't need my personal details and some sort of induction.

Try working somewhere sensitive and they will want to do anything from verifying you are who you say you are, to going through your bank accounts and porn collection.

Likewise if you work with children they will want background checks done at every place you work, not just a single check.

Holding your name, date of birth and inductrion records at a place you work (even if not an employee) is far from illegal. I'd actually say its sensible.