Personal information – Employees

Employees for the purposes of this section includes, in so far as is relevant, all staff (both past and present), Trustees, volunteers, job applicants, contractors, consultants, independent examiners and invigilators from whom the University collects and processes personal data.

The University collects personal data through various means and includes personal special categories of data such as ethnicity, disability or medical data collected and data relating to criminal conviction and offences (see detailed list below).

We also use a GPS Tracking System in all University’s vehicles, which may from time to time be used by our employees. The main purpose of the GPS Tracking System is to monitor the performance of our vehicles and where appropriate to be used as evidence in any civil and criminal proceedings which may include insurance claims. In most instances the data will relate to the vehicle or service delivery and as such will not become personally identifiable. However there may be occasions when the information collected from these systems will identify you.

We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you as follows:

  • Identity and contact data which will include your name and telephone number.
  • Where appropriate, we will also hold copies of your driver’s licence, which will include your date of birth, address, and the vehicles you can lawfully drive and your photograph.
  • We will also capture CCTV images of you from CCTV cameras installed across the University’s campuses.
  • We will also capture images of you from body cameras worn by members of the security staff during work hours across the University’s campuses.
  • Employment data which will include your job title and hours of work.
  • Geospatial data which relates to the location data provided by the GPS tracking devices that have been installed on the University’s vehicles. GPS tracking uses a vehicle tracking system, which is an electronic device installed in a vehicle to enable the University to track the vehicle’s location.
  • Health data including medical conditions that relate to your ability to drive, these may include physical and mental health conditions.
  • Criminal offenses data in the event that you have a conviction listed against your driving licence.

The categories of data we hold and what we use it for

The University processes your personal data, including special categories of data, for a variety of purposes, involving all aspects of the administration of your contract of employment, for statistical purposes and for the purposes of equal opportunities monitoring.

It is your responsibility to inform us as soon as possible if data we hold about you is incorrect or requires updating. Staff are able to see a range of data about themselves on the intranet via the HR portal. This includes contact and identification information, information relating to medical conditions or disability, emergency contact details, current job details, absences, bank details, pay history, HESA details and career development details. Staff can change/update many of these items themselves and are encouraged to do so on a regular basis. Where it is not possible for staff to update their own details, staff in Human Resources (HR) will be able to do it for them. We collect the contact details of a person nominated by you for emergency contact purposes. It is the responsibility of staff to ensure that their emergency contacts have given permission for us to contact them in the event of an emergency. You must remember to update this information as and when necessary.

Our legal basis for processing your data

The University’s primary legal basis for processing your personal data is that the processing is necessary for the performance of the contract between you and University. The data we require you to provide at the commencement of your employment is data that we deem necessary to fulfil our contract of employment or which we are obliged to request by law. Some data of job applicants is used for recruitment and selection purposes, it being a legitimate interest of the University to conduct competitive recruitment practices and ensure that applicants meet the required job specifications. Failure to provide this data may result in a contract not being awarded or being withdrawn. We also ask that you provide certain data on a voluntary basis such as that relating to medical conditions, disability or ethnic origin. You are not obliged to provide that data and it will not affect the decision whether to award you a contract of employment if you fail to provide it. When you are asked to provide information on a voluntary basis we will specify what that information will be used for and you will be asked to specifically consent to such use. Although withholding of non-mandatory data will not preclude you from being awarded a contract, there may be other adverse consequences which you will need to consider if you do not provide the information. For example, if you do not disclose that you have a disability, it may not be possible for the University to make the reasonable adjustments necessary to accommodate that disability.

Some Data that you provide will be used for statistical and monitoring purposes. When this is done the data will be anonymised in so far as it is practicable to do so. Data is sometimes shared with third parties for such analysis or for the third parties to provide HR related services on behalf of the University. Your Data will only be shared with third parties if the University is satisfied that those third parties will process it in manner which is compliant with the GDPR and which is consistent with this Privacy Notice.

Sharing of your personal information within the university

Only those members of staff within the University who need to have access to the data you provide when you begin your employment, and those who update information via the Staff portal, such as your Line Manager, will have access. Staff within HR and the Finance department will have access to your data, as may some administrative staff within your School or department as your line manager, and the Dean of your School. If you disclose any special category personal data at any time during your employment, that data may be shared with specific departments or agencies, such as the University’s Occupational Health service, but this will only be done with your prior knowledge / consent. Your university contact details will be shared with all permanent staff.

Sharing of personal information with third parties

It is not possible to list all of the bodies with whom we might have to share your personal data, but the following are examples of when the University will release data about you to third parties where you ask us to, where we have a legitimate reason to use that data in connection with your employment here at the University, or where the University is under a legal requirement to provide data.

  • Data may be released to third parties, such as HMRC, in relation to matters associated with your employment. We are required to pass data about you (in coded and anonymised form) to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) which then creates your HESA Staff Record. Some of this anonymised data will be passed to other statutory bodies involved with the funding of education, but it cannot be used in any way that could affect you personally. For further details of how your HESA Staff Record may be used by HESA please go to HESA Notices.
  • Details of any reportable accidents are referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Data provided to the HSE will include the personal data of any individual involved in the accident.
  • Your data may be used to produce anonymous statistics to show workforce trends.
  • Your data will be passed to Pension Funds administrators.
  • We may release data to the police and other enforcement agencies in emergencies and where it is required by these agencies for the prevention or detection of crime.
  • Data may be released to the third party organisations that host University data
  • The University has staff discount arrangements with third party retailers. The University will not provide such retailers with any personal data about you except to confirm – on request – that you are a member of University staff, if you decide to take advantage of the scheme.
  • We may also share your personal data with third parties such as the Universities and Colleges Employers Associations (UCEA) to carry out survey to analyse senior staff remuneration and pay gaps in the sector.
  • Personal data may be shared with third parties for the purpose of monitoring the provision of maintenance services and operations of building and assets within the University’s Campuses.