Gerry,
As an information professional, I would certainly support the view that all
information received or generated during the course of ones employment is
information owned by the organisation, unless there is a contractual
agreement with regards the individuals intellectual property rights,
principally involving key research areas.
The right of privacy, is a red heron, the real issues in this regard are
contractual between the individual and the employer. You can protect your
right to privacy by not agreeing to the contractual terms, the cost of which
may be not accepting that form of employment or organisation to work for. It
is a 'free market' economy!
One is employed by the organisation for the benefit of the organisation on a
contractual basis. The spin off for ones-self is the personal benefits
signed up to, and the terms are in the contract.
Unless you have negotiated protected IP rights, within your contract, then
you have no grounds to complain as you agreed to the terms and conditions
upon acceptance of employment offered.
The only acknowledged 'private records' are the personal records about the
individual, their employment or health related records, to which they have a
right of access to under DPA & the Medical Records Act.
I would leave out the reference to 'private records' as this is not helpful
and misleading. I would further suggest lifting the issue to the level of
'information management policy' rather than records management (as records
are the containers of information/data), information management is a broader
spectrum.
You may wish to reference within such policy; 'employees are required to
maintain an authentic record of their activities at all times' ...to
safeguard against the loss of actual & 'tacit knowledge' and to recover from
the individual such knowledge if required to do so.
Best regards,
Joseph
Joseph Wisener BA Hon's
EDRM System Manager
Civil Aviation Authority
01293 573962
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: carey clifford [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 02 September 2004 19:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: RM Policy - HE Sector
Isn't there a conflict with Human Rights Act legislation that a person has
the right to privacy even at work?
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Records Management mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Gerry Dane
Sent: 02 September 2004 15:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RM Policy - HE Sector
Dear all,
I intend putting the following into a University policy document:
'University Records belong to the University.
All records, created or received by University staff in the course of
their employment, are the property of the University and subject to its
control. In this context, there can be no such thing as a private
record; employees leaving the University or changing positions within it
are required to leave all records for their successors.'
My view is that the clause is sound in itself and that any statement
relating to the ownership of records needs to be robust. However a
feared reaction from researchers is causing some to think twice -
mistakenly in my opinion, I can't see how the issue of records ownership
can be fudged at all.
Are there any differing views? Has anyone had to address the same issue.
Any opinion welcome.
Best,
Gerry.
Mr.G.Dane
University of Newcastle
Email: [log in to unmask]
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