Privacy | Page 8 (86 items)

A recent high-profile case involving a BlueScope Steel employee accused of stealing sensitive and confidential information should send a warning to all employers to have secure contracts in place, lawyers say.

Employers that keep unsolicited job applications on file could be breaching the Australian Privacy Principles, according to Holding Redlich partners.

Privacy Act amendments taking effect next week make it imperative for organisations to update their policies and procedures, according to Kemp Strang partner Vicki Grey.

Every organisation faces risks from employees' social media activity - whether it is sanctioned or unsanctioned, at work or after hours and "private".

Employers should be transparent with employees about what personal information they are collecting - and why - especially when making unusual requests, says Ashurst partner Vince Rogers.

What risks arise from "Googling" job applicants during a recruitment process? What questions can you ask about a candidate's medical history? Are you obliged to provide access to an employee's personnel file? Hicksons Lawyers partners Brad Swebeck and Sarah Jones answered these questions and more in our recent webinar.

A Fair Work Australia ruling, which found a senior employee was not "grossly disloyal" when he gave the names of recently retrenched staff to a sacked colleague, contains important guidance for employers on what constitutes confidential information.

Every organisation is potentially at risk of damage - to its reputation, assets, morale and much more - from its employees' use of social media.



In this presentation, employment lawyer Nick Noonan outlines:

• Employers' rights to monitor and regulate employees' social media use;
• Employees' obligations when using social media;
• What to include in a social media policy;
• Employer risks in using social media in the recruitment process;
• The interaction between social media and privacy laws; and
• Recent case law involving social media issues in the workplace.

Intellectual property (IP) theft and fraud are rampant in the workplace, and can cost businesses millions of dollars in lost customers and eroded confidence, KordaMentha partner (forensic) Nigel Carson told a Kemp Strang briefing in Sydney last week.

Australia's "anti-dobbing" culture can obstruct efforts to eradicate workplace bullying and create a "huge problem" for employers, says general counsel for Harmers Workplace Lawyers, Greg Robertson.