DWP contacting the place where I do my voulantary work. (Data protection violation ?)

[Skycow]

Hi, First post and all, so if its in the wrong place, please forgive and relocate

 

I spend 2 (Thur/Sat)days a week doing voluntary work at the salvation army, I have aranged this on my own after my Mandatory work placement, I have been there since February.

 

I was told by the assistant I work with on Thursday that she had received a call from someone saying they where from the DWP on Monday (the day I have a interview with them) and that they where checking what days I attend and how much I claim to make sure I wasn't claiming expense twice (Not stupid enough to even try that). now of course she gave the information out which I think is a breach of the data protection act.

 

I just want to get it all straight in my head about who was in the wrong, before I take things further.

 

Was the DWP wrong to ask for this information knowing it is in violation of DPA ?

 

 

Cheers

[antone]

The DWP was not wrong, as such, although they really shouldn't be making these calls.

 

The SA should not have answered the DWP's questions, and if there is a DPA breach, that's where it lies.

[Skycow]

ok, thanks for the fast update.

Trying to get all my ducks in a row before I start complaining

[vinny47]

ok, thanks for the fast update.

Trying to get all my ducks in a row before I start complaining

 

 

Before you start complaining any breach of the DPA is with the assistant and the salvation army , if you raise a complaint it might make it impossible to remain as a volunteer at that location depending on what action the salvation army take against your colleague

[antone]

Before you start complaining any breach of the DPA is with the assistant and the salvation army , if you raise a complaint it might make it impossible to remain as a volunteer at that location depending on what action the salvation army take against your colleague

 

Yes, this is worth keeping in mind.

 

If it were me, I'd let this one go, but Vinny47 is correct, I think. If you choose to pursue the matter, it could jeopardise your volunteering. You've every right to complain about a DPA breach, of course, but consider the possible consequences.

[Skycow]

yeah, I understand if I was to take it further up the chain of command to her manager etc, it could complicate things. However I have a good work relationship with her so it will be more of an informal "oh by the way, been reading up on it apparently you should not have given that info out" type of chat, and Not a going directly to management making a huge fuss over it.

[kk3852]

Before you jump in - it may depend on who (at the DWP) was making the enquiry. If there had been an allegation that you had been working at the Salvation Army, and was being looked at by Fraud, then a request for information by an Authorised Officer is outside DPA under the detection and prevention of crime. A person who is asked for information is required to provide this or they could face prosecution by failing to do so. Saying that though, request for information are made usually by letter or face to face.

 

It is possible that it was thought to be the easiest way to clear up and allegation that you were undertaking paid work.

[essexmat]

I do two voluntary roles, DWP have never contacted either - can't remember name of form but I filled in something to explainmy hours and that is was ZERO pay and was left alone - they just update your notes to say you are doing voluntary work - I have not had a problem. As far as I am concerened if DWP want to contact where Ivolunteer they can waste their time doing so - also gets me out of around 10 hours a week job searching for fake jobs

[estellyn]

when I worked for the DWP it was amazing the amount of info people would be willing to give over the phone about someone else - and for those that wouldn't, a fax on headed paper was enough to get the info. In almost all cases the person I was asking had no signed authority or even verbal authority to provide the information by the person concerned.

 

Of course a claim form gives authority to make checks into certain things.

[dyfed]

You dont volunteer in York by any chance?

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/11334266.Joint_fight_against_beggars_in_York/?ref=mr

[Skycow]

No, i'm based in the Northwest.

[Madamfluff]

I read this thread with interest as I manage a Charity shop (Not SA) and have volunteers who are on JSA (not mandated).

 

 

I needed to ensure that I personally would be doing the correct thing if ever approached by the DWP so I asked my Area Manager for my own companies stance on /understanding of DPA issues.

 

 

This is how we work when we have a volunteer who is on JSA we ask if the JC are happy with them volunteering, once the hours/days worked have been agreed we advise them to fill out a volunteering form issued by the JCA, we don't police this, we don't make this a condition of volunteering, the onus is on the volunteer to give the JC the correct info.

 

 

Therefore if we are approached by the DWP it would not be a breach of the DPA we would only be confirming the info the volunteer should already have given, the same way its not a breach of the DPA for a company to give salary details to a bank if an employee applies for a mortgage or give dates worked to a company seeking a reference for an ex employee.

 

 

She also advised me that we could get into trouble as a company if we gave false information to the DWP for instance saying Mary Brown only worked on Monday and they found out she worked all week for us.

 

 

That saying I don't have incoming number identification on my work phone not do we have a computer to check reverse telephone number sites, therefore I personally would not give any information over the phone about any volunteer, I don't give my own personal details over the phone to people calling from withheld numbers or from a number I can't check therefore I wouldn't give out anyone else's. I personally I would want any requests in writing OR I would refer them to the volunteer co-ordinator in my company who I send attendance sheets to every week and is part of the payroll/HR facility and would know just what information to supply and who to, and of course I would inform the volunteer that the DWP were on the snoop.

 

 

As to the Sales Assistant in the SA she most likely had full management responsibilities for the shop in the manager absence and would answer phones and give info as part of her job, however the manager would have overall say and would be responsible for training her assistant in procedures, if the OP is unhappy I would suggest they do speak to the actual manager to clarify the situation