Data leak at work – compensation advice

A data leak at work can be the worst nightmare of an employee, as the breach of privacy can feel incredibly exposing in a professional context.

It may also feel difficult to confront your employer about the damage that has been caused to you, particularly where the error of your colleague(s) has provoked the data breach, as this can make the aftermath a very difficult and stressful time.

All companies are required by law to ensure that they handle, process and store data according to the given data protection rules as set out in the GDPR. Even where a data protection error can seem innocuous, such as in an accidental email attachment, it can still constitute a breach of the GDPR. If you are an employee who has fallen prey to a data leak at a work, you may be entitled to claim compensation. We support victims of all kinds of data breaches to achieve the justice that they deserve, so contact us if you think you have a claim to make.

The implications of a data leak at work

When a data breach occurs in the workplace, the repercussions can be incredibly damaging for the employees concerned. The information held by employers can be highly in-depth and sensitive due to the purpose they serve. Companies typically need to engage in basic vetting procedures to ensure new employees are who they say they are, and they may also need to be aware of issues such as medical background for safety reasons.

As such, the information exposed in a data leak at work could include:

• contact details;
• employment history;
• bank account details;
• National Insurance numbers;
• medical records;
• addresses;
• human resources records on disputes, mediation and counselling;
• information held for diversity monitoring, e.g. religion, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation.

The sensitivity of such information could expose employees to discrimination in the workplace. It could affect future job prospects, and it could expose those affected to theft or fraud. Beyond this, any data breach can have an emotional impact, and could cause a victim considerable stress or anxiety.

Employee errors and data breach claims

Employee error is reportedly at the root of more than half of business data breaches. Some examples of employee errors include oversharing data with employees who had no reason to see it, or failing to notice a cybersecurity vulnerability.

It is important to not brush such errors off as honest mistakes. They often arise from company-wide negligence of data protection law, or a neglect of individual duty.

Normally, in a data breach claim, you will not be blaming an individual, but the company as a whole for its overall breach of the GDPR. You may be able to claim not only for any financial losses that you have incurred as a result of the data breach, but also for any distress that you have experienced, whatever form this comes in.

Claiming for data leak compensation

To start a claim for a data leak at work, we only need a few details from you to evaluate your eligibility, and then we can get your claim underway. We have supported many employees through this process before, and we may be able to represent you for a legal case on a No Win, No Fee basis.

To claim compensation, simply contact us today or fill out a call-back form to receive free, no-obligation advice on your potential claim.

Data Privacy Day 2021 – will we see future changes?

Arrest records lost in major police data error