Each working day, companies collect and use information about individuals which is covered by the Data Protection Act 1998. For many companies, achieving compliance with the DPA in the employment sphere is a daunting or unappealing prospect.
The key to complying with the DPA is to keep in mind the underlying purpose of the legislation, which is to protect individuals against infringements of their privacy that could cause them harm. In practice, employers may find that they need only to make small adjustments to the way they operate to ensure they comply with the legislation.