Brookson Accountancy and Support Services - Data Protection Policy

Brookson Limited (‘Brookson’) has a statutory duty to ensure that all personal information relating to you is kept confidential under the Data Protection Act 1998. Brookson is obliged to keep all of your personal data on file, both in order to comply with the terms of your Contract of Employment or agreement with Brookson and to comply with employment and tax legislation.

With your consent, Brookson may also need to keep additional sensitive personal data on personnel files from time to time.

Sensitive personal data includes information about a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or similar beliefs, trade union membership, physical or mental health or condition or sexual life, or about the commission of, or proceedings for, any offence committed or alleged to have been committed by that person, the disposal of such proceedings or the sentence of any court in such proceedings.

If sensitive personal data is being processed, we will take reasonable and proportional steps to ensure that your specific consent is obtained prior to such processing taking place.

1. Enquiries

Brookson’s Data Protection Manager is Martin Hesketh.

2. Scope 

For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, by engaging the services of Brookson or returning your Contract of Employment, you consent to your personal data being held and processed by Brookson for purposes relating to your employment, including but not limited to the following:-
 
(a)Administering and maintaining personnel records;
(b) Paying and reviewing salary and other remuneration and benefits;
(c) Providing and administering benefits;
(d) Maintaining sickness and other attendance records;
(e) Providing references and information to future employers on request and if necessary to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (‘HMRC’), the Contributions Agency and other authorised bodies.
(f) Providing information to recruitment agencies and end clients.
(g) Providing information to our advisers, including, but not limited to, Ernst & Young and Touche LLP, Pinsent Masons LLP, Kingsbridge Limited, RMS Tenon, EOS Law and such other advisors which may be instructed to act on behalf of, or provide information or advice to Brookson.

Brookson will take all reasonable and proportionate steps to ensure that personal data is secure and is only made available to those persons who require access in order to perform their role in the course of Brookson’s business.

Brookson may from time to pass your information on to it’s business partners in order to provide you with an illustration and for administration, identification, statistical analysis, marketing, customer services, assessing your working patterns and other management and statistical profiling. Brookson will not pass on such information without first obtaining your consent. Brookson’s business partners include Jordan’s limited, Pinsent Masons LLP, HSBC, Cater Allen, Royal Bank of Scotland, Equifax Plc, RMS Tenon Plc, Ernst & Young and Touche LLP, Kingsbridge Limited and Brookson Financial Services.

Personal information will be kept on file during your employment and for a period of up to six years following the termination of your employment.

3. Accuracy of Personal Data

Brookson will take reasonable steps at reasonable intervals to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the data held on its personnel files.

4. Access to Personal Data

You are entitled to request a description of the personal data held on your personal file, the purposes for which the data are being processed and the persons to whom the data may be disclosed (such as the HMRC). If you wish to make such a request, it should be made in writing to the Data Protection Manager at the usual Brookson address together with the appropriate fee which is currently £10.00.

5. Members Responsibility

Data protection is a responsibility shared by Brookson and its members/employees. You are expected to familiarise yourself with and observe at all times the Brookson policy relating to data protection and additional instructions which may be issued from time to time.

If you are required as part of your assignment/employment to process data about other Brookson members, employees or customers you must treat such information as confidential and in accordance with either this or, where applicable the customer’s Data Protection Policy.

6. Website Policy

Use of the Brookson website (www.brookson.co.uk) is subject to Brookson’s Website Policy and Privacy Policy. You should be aware that use of the Brookson website may result in additional information being gathered and stored about you. A copy of the Website Policy and Privacy Policy is available on the website