A relative works in a job where all staff have been asked to bring in their passports but no explanation has been given for this request.
[broken link removed] says:
"An employer may ask to see your passport at recruitment stage if this is necessary to show that you are entitled to work in Ireland. An employer may note such passport details on your personnel file. It should not be necessary for an employer to retain a copy of your passport and such action could be a breach of the Data Protection Acts. "
But from [broken link removed] I read:
"The employment law compliance bill 2008 - how does it affect employers? ... All employers are obliged to retain a copy of a passport or other equivalent document from all employees for the duration of the employment relationship or, where this has ceased, for three years thereafter. In the case of an employee who is the holder of an employment permit the employer must obtain a copy of the permit and must have a record of the employment performed by the employee, the economic sector in which it is being performed and the duration of the employment."
How can it be a requirement for an employer to make a copy of an employee's passport if it could be a breach of the Data Protection Acts?
When I look at the Act, it seems to me that this requirement (on page 71) relates to Employment Permits, so I wonder is this a requirement for non-nationals working in Ireland as opposed to all employees?
[broken link removed] says:
"An employer may ask to see your passport at recruitment stage if this is necessary to show that you are entitled to work in Ireland. An employer may note such passport details on your personnel file. It should not be necessary for an employer to retain a copy of your passport and such action could be a breach of the Data Protection Acts. "
But from [broken link removed] I read:
"The employment law compliance bill 2008 - how does it affect employers? ... All employers are obliged to retain a copy of a passport or other equivalent document from all employees for the duration of the employment relationship or, where this has ceased, for three years thereafter. In the case of an employee who is the holder of an employment permit the employer must obtain a copy of the permit and must have a record of the employment performed by the employee, the economic sector in which it is being performed and the duration of the employment."
How can it be a requirement for an employer to make a copy of an employee's passport if it could be a breach of the Data Protection Acts?
When I look at the Act, it seems to me that this requirement (on page 71) relates to Employment Permits, so I wonder is this a requirement for non-nationals working in Ireland as opposed to all employees?