Employers process a huge amount of their employees’ personal data. Under UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data Use and Access Act 2025, employers have strict legal responsibilities with which they must comply in relation to their employee’s data.
What does a data protection and subject access request (SAR) solicitor do?
Our experienced team of DSAR solicitors at B P Collins can advise and support you through employee requests and often claims that subsequently arise in the workplace. Our employment solicitors are here to help companies put in place procedures, policies and managerial training for dealing with these types of requests.
Lawful basis for processing data
Employers must be able to establish that they have a lawful basis for processing their employees’ personal data. Lawful bases for processing are wider than simply consent and include performance of a contract (such as the employment contract), compliance with legal obligations and the employer’s legitimate interests.
Privacy notice
Employers must inform employees of the personal data the employer is collecting and processing, the reasons for the processing and the employer’s lawful basis for doing so. This is typically done through a privacy notice. Our employee data protection specialists can help you put in place a comprehensive and accurate privacy notice.
What are Data Subject Access Requests?
Employees have a right to make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to access their personal data. This requires the employer (as the data processor) to disclose copies of all personal data being processed. That can lead to extensive disclosure of documents such as emails and messages in addition to documents from the employee’s personnel file.
Complaints to the Information Commissioner
If an employer fails to comply with their obligations in relation to a DSAR, the employee may be able to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. The ICO has a wide range of enforcement powers, including the power to issue a penalty notice imposing a financial penalty on the employer. The amount of the penalty will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Why choose B P Collins as your DSAR solicitors?
With 50+ years of experience and extensive knowledge, we’re consistently ranked in legal directories such as Chambers UK and The Legal 500, for the strength of our employment practice.
Price and service transparency (Click here)
We pride ourselves on achieving the best possible and most cost effective outcomes for our clients, be that through pursuing a strike out of some or all of a claim or defence or negotiating an appropriate settlement.
View our price and service transparency here.
Contact our employee data protection and SAR solicitors today
For further information or advice please contact our employee DSAR lawyers, who are based in London, Ickenham, Thame and Gerrards Cross, on 01753 889995 or enquiries@bpcollins.co.uk.
