Takeover

[FarneyMan]

Our company is in the process of being bought out, we have been told to supply management with our Ages, dates of joining and qualifications so these can be forwarded to the company thats buying us out. We have been told that this is standard procedure in takeovers...........can anyone confirm this !!??

 

[ClubMan]

Don't know if it's standard practice but I remember the same happening in a company that I worked for, which was not the subject of a takeover, just before they selected people for redundancy. On the other hand perhaps they are simply updating HR records which may be incomplete? might be of interest to you in this situation. The DETE Employment Rights Section can also be helpful in providing advice/information to employees in situations such as this. Presumably there's no union in this case to collectively represent employees and find out what is going on?

 

[ajapale]

Hi FarneyMan,

Put youself in the position of the potential purchaser(s) of the business. They will be doing "due dilligence" before they buy the company. I think they (the buyers) are entiltled to ask for lists of employees and their names, qualifications, positions in the company and gender etc.

Under the data protection acts your company can't use the information for any other purpose than what it was gathered for. In this case your employer has asked you for the infomation and has told you how it will be used.

Is your concern that the information will be used for some other purpose?

If your concerns relate to the intentions of the buying company then as Clubman mentioned you are protected by the Transfer of Undertakings Leglislation.

Is yours a unionised compnay (or industry)? Under the ToUE leglislation the companies are obliged to communicate with employees or their representatives.

ajapale