A government agency has been investigated by
the Privacy Commissioner after an employee complained to the agency about the
work practices of her employer.
The employee notified the agency that she
wished for her name to remain confidential while they were investigating her complaint.
The employee was horrified to learn that during the inspection of her
workplace, her identity had been accidentally disclosed to her employer. As a
result, the employee lost her job.
The Privacy Commissioner held that the agency had
breached the Privacy Act which prohibits agencies from disclosing personal
information unless certain exceptions apply.
The Privacy Commissioner noted the importance
of anonymity and stated that without it people would be discouraged from coming
forward with concerns about their employment.
The agency apologised to the employee and amended
its practices so that the situation would not occur again. The agency also paid
the employee’s legal fees and some compensation, of an undisclosed amount.
Alan Knowsley
Employment Lawyer Wellington
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