
A group of Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS) experts from across our various client sectors have gazed into their crystal ball and given us a view on how 2021 is looking.
Like many things, the truth is somewhere in the middle, and the key message to employers is that while the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), have said they’ll show understanding if resources are directed away from tasks such as responding to SARs (subject access requests) within legal timescales, the data protection laws still very much apply and breaches will be taken seriously.
However, the rules do not prevent organisations from changing how they work in order to protect people’s health, as long as appropriate controls are in place.
Those controls are especially important now that the new normal for many office-based workers is working from home. Some will have already worked from home occasionally, but for others, it will be a completely new experience, and the data security risks are amplified with such a large proportion of the workforce currently based at home. This applies to charity and church volunteers too, with many meetings now taking place remotely.
Organisations that are now using increased homeworking should assess and mitigate the risks through secure processes as well as proactive and supportive management of your people.
Secure processes
People
It isn’t enough to provide secure processes; companies must ensure their employees are trained in how, as well as why, to use them. Good communication and management should help reduce the risk of people finding shortcuts around the secure systems, either to make their job easier, or for more worrying reasons.
We are here to help – please contact us with queries about data protection, please contact Clare Paterson. For employment, please contact the employment team.
A group of Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS) experts from across our various client sectors have gazed into their crystal ball and given us a view on how 2021 is looking.
Luton Borough Council was prosecuted by the HSE late last year following an incident at a high school in which an assistant headteacher was attacked by a pupil and left with life-changing injuries.
This ebriefing looks at the proposal to set out 'public procurement principles' in the proposed procurement legislation.
Happy New Year - our first newsletter of 2021! Throughout this year we will continue to bring you news and developments relating to the charities sector.
Local authorities should be wary of reserving contracts for local suppliers, as recommended by Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 11/20. Other contracting authorities may want to maximise their use of this
Most housing practitioners have perhaps been waiting for this news since the latest lockdown was announced by the Prime Minister on 4 January 2021.
Climate change and biodiversity is an area where significantly faster changes are needed on a global and local basis.
Chris Lloyd Smith, Adrian Leonard and Lisa Whitehouse discuss the planning opportunities available to owners of businesses and how to prepare for unforeseen events.
In their 3rd podcast of the series, Chris Lloyd-Smith and Maria Ramon discuss a number of problems with and difficulties that can arise in mediation and the mechanisms they use to overcome them.
Our previous round-up began by sharing the news that two vaccines had shown very promising test results. Here we are, not even a month later, and the first vaccines have already been administered!
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