Data, Privacy & GDPR
Your Data Rights at Work
Your employer holds a large amount of your personal data - HR files, emails, performance records, CCTV, even monitoring data. Under GDPR you have enforceable rights over all of it, and in an employment dispute those rights are also a powerful practical tool: a data access request often reveals what was really said and recorded about you.
We can help if any of the following apply:
- You want to make a data access request to see what your employer holds about you
- Your access request was ignored, delayed beyond the deadline, or heavily redacted
- You are being monitored at work - emails, CCTV, tracking - in a way that feels excessive
- Your personal information was shared or disclosed without a proper basis
- Inaccurate or misleading information is being held on your file and used against you
Employers must normally respond to an access request within one month - if yours has passed that deadline, you already have grounds to escalate.
How We Help
We draft and pursue data access requests that are hard to fob off, challenge improper redactions and refusals, complain to the Data Protection Commission where needed, and use what your file reveals to strengthen your wider employment case. If a breach of your data rights has caused you damage, compensation may also be available.
Data Protection & GDPR Solicitor
Expert legal advice on data protection and GDPR in the workplace under Irish and EU law.
Whether you’re an employer navigating your obligations or an employee whose data rights have been breached, our Dublin-based employment solicitors can advise on the best course of action.
The General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 impose significant obligations on employers in how they collect, process, store, and share employee data.
Breaches can result in complaints to the Data Protection Commission, compensation claims, and substantial fines.
Our Process
1. Assess the Issue
We review the facts to determine whether there has been a breach of data protection or GDPR obligations, whether it involves personal data misuse, a failure to respond to a data access request, or inadequate data handling practices.
2. Understand Your Rights or Obligations
For employees, we advise on your rights including data access, rectification, erasure, and the right to lodge a complaint. For employers, we ensure you understand your obligations around lawful processing, data retention, and breach notification.
3. Take the Right Approach
We advise on whether the issue can be resolved directly with the employer, or whether a formal complaint to the Data Protection Commission or a compensation claim is appropriate.
4. Bring or Defend Your Claim
We handle Data Protection Commission complaints, subject access request disputes, and compensation claims, representing both employers and employees through every stage.
Evaluate & Improvement
Employers hold significant volumes of employee personal data, from payroll and health records to performance reviews and disciplinary files.
Under GDPR, this data must be processed lawfully, stored securely, retained only as long as necessary, and made available to the employee on request. Failure to meet these obligations can expose an employer to DPC investigation, enforcement action, and compensation claims.
Employees have the right to access their personal data, request correction of inaccurate records, and in certain circumstances request deletion.
Where an employer fails to respond to a subject access request within the statutory timeframe, or processes data without a lawful basis, the employee can lodge a formal complaint with the Data Protection Commission or pursue compensation through the courts.
EMPLOYER OBLIGATIONS
Lawful processing, secure storage, data minimisation, breach notification, and responding to employee data access requests within statutory timeframes.
EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
Access to your personal data, rectification of inaccurate records, erasure in certain circumstances, and the right to lodge a complaint with the DPC.
ACCESS, ACTION & COMPLAINTS
Subject access requests, DPC complaints, and compensation claims for data protection breaches in the workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Your Obligations as an Employer?
- Personal data must be processed lawfully and transparently
- Data should only be retained as long as necessary for the stated purpose
- Employees must be informed of what data is held and why
- Breach notification obligations apply to the DPC and affected individuals
What Are Your Rights as an Employee?
- Right to access all personal data your employer holds on you
- Right to have inaccurate data corrected or incomplete data completed
- Right to erasure in certain circumstances
- Employer must respond to access requests within one month
When to Take Action
- Employer fails to respond to a subject access request
- Personal data is shared without lawful basis or consent
- Data is retained beyond what is necessary or reasonable
- Disciplinary or performance data is used improperly
Making Your Claim
- Complaint to the Data Protection Commission
- Compensation claim through the courts for breach of data rights
- Employers can also seek advice on defending DPC investigations
- Expert representation ensures compliance obligations and rights are fully understood
Do You Have a Case?
90% of our clients' claims succeed. Get a straight answer on where you stand.
Get In TouchTime limits apply to most employment claims.
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What People Say
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Straight answers, in three steps
Most people have never needed a solicitor before. Here is exactly what happens when you contact us.
Tell Us What Happened
Send the form or call us. We listen, ask the right questions, and give you a straight answer on whether you have a case worth pursuing.
Agree The Plan Of Action
We set out exactly how your case will run and what to expect at each stage, all agreed in writing before anything begins. WRC claims usually must be lodged within six months, so we move quickly.
We Pursue Your Claim
Negotiation first, then the WRC, Labour Court or civil courts if needed. Most of our clients settle without ever facing a hearing.