The EU General Data Protection Regulations come into force in the UK on 25 May 2018 with the aim of unifying data protection laws across Europe. These changes in legislation are set to bring a significant change in how businesses big and small operate. At Premier Placement Services we have already ensured our staff have received the latest training so we are ready to comply with the new GDPR rules – but how ready is your business?

GDPR

What is GDPR?

In the UK, GDPR will replace the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive and will give people more control of how businesses use and store their data, threatening heavy fines for organisations which fail to comply with the rules. Larger fines for a serious breach will be up to four per cent of an organisation’s annual worldwide turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater. It is not just a legal formality and will still apply after Brexit.

Does GDPR apply to you?

GDPR applies to all data ‘Controllers’ and ‘Processors’, which means anyone within your business who stores or handles personal data relating to a person or data subject is affected. Data includes a computer IP address and mobile devices, in addition to the usual name, address, contact number etc. basically anything which can be used to identify a person.

How to get consent under the GDPR regulations

Data controllers must keep a record of how and when an individual gave consent for you to use and store their details, and understand that the individual is entitled to withdraw their consent at any time. If your current method for obtaining consent doesn’t meet the new rules, then you will have to stop collecting data via that method when the new rules come into force in May 2018.

Don’t panic! Here are five steps to keep you compliant to the new GDPR


  • Hire your temp staff from us – Our recruitment consultants are fully up to date with data compliance and the changes in the law and will ensure all the necessary paperwork involved in your recruitment process is GDPR compliant. We will provide you with a professional service and save you the time-consuming task of selecting the right people.
  • Document your data – Audit all the personal data your business holds, where it came from and who it’s shared with. GDPR requires data controllers and processors to maintain a record of how certain information is processed. All this information must also be made available on request to supervising authorities.
  • Think about your data security measures – What data encryption measures do you have in place to stop any unauthorised access to data you store? If your company suffers a data breach you must report the matter within 72 hours of being aware of it. Failure to do so could result in a heavy fine! At Premier Placement Services we have made sure our systems are secure and we have data safeguards in place so you can be confident that any information you provide us with is safe.
  • Recruit a data protection officer – If you have more than 250 members of staff then this step is obligatory. They are responsible for keeping your organisation informed of your data protection obligations, providing advice regarding data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) and they can act as a contact point for any data enquiries or requests.
  • Consent – Review how you seek, manage and record consent and whether you need to make any changes. In most businesses this will mean reviewing your current privacy notices and updating them, then providing them to employees and job applicants in an easy to understand format. At Premier Placement Services we will ensure we have undertaken this process with any temp staff we provide you with.

The Premier Placement Services GDPR action plan

Here at Premier Placement Services we are members of the Recruitment & Education Confederation and have trained our staff to the highest industry standards to ensure we provide you with a professional service. Being fully compliant as a business with the legal standards required by GDPR is part of our service commitment to our clients. We ensure our processes and our temp staff are legally compliant so you don’t have to!

For more information about the GDPR regulations visit ICO (Information Commissioners Office) website, and to find out more about how we help employers meet their staffing needs call and speak to one of our experienced recruitment consultants on 01782 717007 or 01270 444900.