When a data breach occurs in your place of work, the stress on employees can be significant; whether you are one of those dealing with the repercussions, or one of the people who has had your private information exposed. The victims, in particular, can be adversely affected both psychologically and materially, so a data breach at work can represent a huge failure on the part of the company involved.
In fact, many workplace data breaches are caused by the neglect of basic data protection principles and cybersecurity measures, meaning that the company itself can often be held liable for the occurrence of the breach. Every employer has a duty to uphold strong data protection, both for their customers and their employees. When this duty is breached, affected employees may have a right to claim compensation for the damage caused to them.
Data protection risks in businesses
The majority of businesses handle private data in some capacity, whether that is for the purpose of customer services, or to meet the requirements of employee record management. Unfortunately, data can be mishandled in several different ways, and at all levels of business operations if appropriate precautions are not taken.
Data protection risks can cause a data breach at work in the following examples:
- too many employees having access to private data, without a valid business reason;
- employees failing to maintain cybersecurity or patch up cybersecurity vulnerabilities;
- employees sending information to the incorrect recipient.
These are only a few instances that can constitute a data protection breach in the workplace. Some of the commonplace risks have now been exacerbated further by the shift to remote working caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In cases where businesses have failed to prepare for the changes in cybersecurity threats and have left devices and networks vulnerable to unauthorised access, breaches can easily occur.
The consequences of a data breach at work
There is no excuse for a data breach at work if the private information could have been protected by basic data protection measures. If employees are affected, they are often hit hardest due to the extent of personal details their employer is in possession of. This can include bank account details and National Insurance numbers, and details of religion, ethnicity and gender.
The highly sensitive nature of employee data can mean that a data breach at work can infringe significantly on the safety and privacy of each employee affected. Whether they fall victim to fraud attempts and scams, or suffer the stress and anxiety of having your data vulnerable to misuse, the impact can be severe.
Making your compensation claim
If you have been affected by, suffered distress due to, or experienced financial loss as a result of a data breach at work, you may be able to make a compensation claim for any one of these impacts.
We understand how stressful it can be to have your privacy breached as an employee, as the effects can impact both your personal life and your professional life.
To hear more about making a compensation claim, contact us for free, no-obligation advice. We have years of experience in data breach claims, extending back to 2014, so we are well placed to lead your fight for justice.