Employment Law Solicitors

Uckfield | Sussex | South East


Get GDPR Ready!

Wendy Comerford • 27 March 2018

So what do you need to do? In plain English.

GET GDPR READY!



Get our GDPR Pack £300 - includes advice and documents to get you GDPR ready!
Fear not! You no longer have to bury your head in the sand over the General Data Protection Regulation. As a simple first step we have created a straightforward guide to make you see things more clearly.

The old Data Protection Act 1998 will be upgraded on 25 May 2018 by a new and improved GDPR. A key reason for this make-over is due to the fact that we are using social media platforms and electronic means of communication a whole lot more than we used to; the "soon to be" old act just isn’t cutting it.

Here’s the bottom line: if you process personal data then the GDPR applies to you. If you don’t comply you’re exposing yourself to a €20 million fine or 4% of your annual global turnover – whichever is higher.

So let’s get to it: (by the way where you see a * in the text below means we can draft the documents that you need to save you spending hours doing it yourself).

Storing Data
  • Take some time to have a look at how you store your personal data, how it arrives and where it goes. Only keep personal data where it is reasonably necessary to do so. It might be worth doing a diagram - kind of like a family tree or a data map* to show a clear path of where and how personal data is being used and stored.

Rights of Individuals Regarding their Personal Data

  • Individuals have rights over how you use their personal data; there are 8 rights in total:
1. The right to be informed
2. The right of access
3. The right to rectification
4. The right to erasure (to be forgotten)
5. The right to restrict processing
6. The right to data portability
7. The right to object
8. Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.
  • You need to ensure you have a policy* in place to deal with a request* from an individual to verify the lawfulness of your personal data processing.

Breaches of Data

  • Get a procedure* in place so you know what to do in the event that you breach the GDPR. A breach that is more than just losing personal data. It goes further to include a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals such as damage to reputation, financial loss and loss of confidentiality. This is a really important step to take.

Staff Training - protect your business

  • Have a chat to your employees about the new rules. Your business could be responsible for how they use and process personal data - and if they breach it - so its in your interest to get them up to speed with the changes by implementing a solid training policy*.

Data Policy
  • Get a Data Protection Policy in place*. This is really important.

Consent from Employees
  • Get written consent from your employees to hold their personal data*

Privacy Notice
  • Send out a privacy notice* to your clients to let them know how you process and store their personal data. Its compulsory to provide the following information:

    1. Your identity and contact details.
    2. The purpose of processing their data and the legal basis for the processing of that data.
    3. Who you share the personal data with.
    4. Transfers outside EU and how data is protected.
    5. Retention period or criteria used to set this.
    6. Tell individuals of their right to withdraw their consent to their data being used and their right to complain.

Data Protection Officer
  • Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). Although this requirement only applies to public authorities, the GDPR implies that most businesses should have someone to check over compliance, even if they aren’t officially a DPO.

What next?

Call us for further help and for the documents that accompany this guidance highlighted with an * in the above text.

We can provide you with a GDPR Pack for £300 inclusive of VAT. Make it easier for yourself and your business.


Just remember that the content of this document is not a substitute for taking legal advice on your situation. If you need specific advice, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help. Keep checking back with us whilst the GDPR processes continue incase there are any updates you need to know about.


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