data protection breach?

[jdoe]

Hi, hoping for some help with a situation I'm in currently. My office is earmarked for closure and all staff have been told to stay away from the office since before Easter.

On Friday we are due in for a meeting which is clearly going to be redundancy. All round not the best situation but these things happen, never mind.

However as part of asking us not to attend the office all staff have been shut out of our intranet, which contains all details on how the office operates.
This morning I received an email from a member of staff in our US office in my personal email asking for help with something. Not something I'd mind normally, but given the instructions are available if they look, its a little annoying given the situation.

What concerns me is I have never spoken to, or had any interaction with this member of staff. I had never heard of them before this. The only place they could have got my email is from our HR department. Does this constitute a breach of data protection as I'm a little uneasy with them just giving this info out.

I've already forwarded this request to the HR team to ask for an explanation but I'd like some independent advice..

Thanks to anyone that can help

[The Beaver King]

Work or personal email?

[jdoe]

Apologies, it's my personal email address. Should have been clearer in my first post!

[TIGA84]

Ask them where they got it?

[jdoe]

I've asked the HR department for an explanation. I'd rather not start asking questions of someone I don't know within the company at this point. If it is from HR though, does that constitute a breach of DPA?

[marshalla]

When HR asked for your personal email address, what reasons did they give for needing it ? Is the recent use consistent with the company's declared purposes on the register ? (you can check this online via the ICO's web site).

From your description, it sounds unlikely to be a breach as the communication is connected with your employment, but it does all depend on the declared purposes for holding and using your personal email address/data.

[Mattt]

If I were facing redundancy, last thing I would do is wind up HR.

Unless you want it...

[jdoe]

Fair points guys, it was just a little surprising to receive it in my personal mail is all...

I just hope they are not free with details like this too often!

[Deva Link]

I would imagine the person sending you the email is now in trouble for sending work related stuff outside of the company email system to a personal email address.

[khushy]

who cares - move on - concentrate on getting a new job!