3. Keeping personal data at work, private.

Almost everything about you seems to be kept on a computer somewhere these days and this means it is easier than ever for people to access that information.

For example an employer will be keeping sensitive data about each member of staff that should not be revealed to unauthorised staff. For instance, if each person negotiates their own salary in the company then it becomes quite a sensitive issue - what if you earn more than anyone else for the same job (or annoyingly - less?)

Perhaps you have been off ill and you do not want people to know the details.

Laws, such as the 'Data Protection Act', have been enacted to support the right to privacy. This law mandates that procedures are in place to keep your data private.

Data should be stored in such a way that only authorised personnel can access confidential information - and then access only what they need to carry out their duties.

For example, a manager will have access to their staff's personal appraisal results, but not normally their banking details. Finance would have access to banking details but nothing about any medical problems.

However, not all data remain confidential. For example, employers, under the RIPA legislation (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act) also have the right to protect themselves to some extent by monitoring their staff's communications. For example, it is often part of the contract of employment that they retain the right to read any emails sent over their network, this is to ensure that no unauthorised /confidential material is being sent or other breaches of company policy is occurring such as abuse or harassment behaviour.

They may access an employee's work computer remotely over the company network to ensure that only authorised software is loaded on to it and that only work related files are stored on it.

They may monitor the web sites an employee visits to ensure that only work-appropriate sites are being used e.g. not constantly using social media sites during work hours.

So confidentiality is a matter or trust between employer and employee, backed up with some legal protections in the form of the Data Protection Act..