I am a HR Consultant based in Ireland and have lived with the EU directive in a variety of HR roles. Staff cannot view any information that will identify another employee (or even an external person). Equally, staff have to first show that the information is incorrect. However, the do not have the right to correct it themselves (although they have the right of appeal to an external Data Commissioner).

This Directive goes further than employers, however. It extends to Banks, the Public Sector (such as the Revenue Authorities) and any organisation that holds information on an individual. If we take the trouble, we can always ensure that information is accurate and up to date.

You wrote: “Truly Human Resources would be an unreliable source for keeping records, or allowing personnel to check their own status and change, because Humanity is always flawed.”

You’re absolutely right. Humanity is always flawed. Which is precisely the argument for letting employees check their own personnel files. Much like a credit report can be flawed by showing credit cards you don’t have, or showing loans that you’ve paid off–your personnel record might contain inaccurcies–whether they be clerical oversights or caused by the malicious acts of others. You can’t fix what you don’t know.

As we move further into the digital age where personnel information no longer exists in hard copy files in a file cabinet warehouse, but rather as digital information on servers accessed by a computer interface, safeguarding employee data becomes a strategic responsibility shared by Human Resources and IT.

While companies place a high importance in safeguarding the sensitive data of their customers, I’d bet will begin to see more of a movement to safeguard employee data as well.

After reading your quite intriguing article, I couldn’t help but notice your emphasis on the European Union action in 1995.

“directives regarding collection and use of employee data; which included giving employees rights to access and correct data concerning themselves.”

Now with this statement, it says it allows “employees rights to access and correct data concerning themselves”. Now with that, what is to stop them from viewing or changing another co workers data?
Or maybe we will look beyond that and consider maybe a Higher-up, such as a Supervisor, or Management that has company access to these files. What is to keep true Privacy in the workplace?

Truly Human Resources would be an unreliable source for keeping records, or allowing personnel to check their own status and change, because Humanity is always flawed.

I fully agree with the statement to take the appropriate measures to safeguard your employees.