Current employer has disclosed personal information to a potential new employer

[alimainey]

I have been offered a new job and I have submitted my resignation to my current employer. I applied for several vacancies before accepting this new job role. My employer was contacted today for a reference by one of the companies I had applied to. My manager disclosed to the company I had already secured another job. Is he allowed to do this without my consent? Many thanks

[echat11]

Hi Alimainey

They shouldn't have, but we don't know how it happened, maybe it was 'accidentally'. Clearly it could have had repercussions if you did a 'u' turn on your new employment and want to work for the employer who was told that 'you had got a new job'. I don't think it's a'biggie' and has done no harm as things stand.

[MIKE770]

mind you in the past I have known personnel departments being very careful of any comments etc to outside personnel departments when approached for references etc in as much that:- certain responses via sentences can have hidden non obvious information or suspect without prejudice to their company. (liabilities can come into equation = limitation of damage)

[echat11]

mind you in the past I have known personnel departments being very careful of any comments etc to outside personnel departments when approached for references etc in as much that:- certain responses via sentences can have hidden non obvious information or suspect without prejudice to their company. (liabilities can come into equation = limitation of damage)

Yep, the title of the department has moved on too, i.e. Human Resources, Human Capital etc.

[Celestine]

What was your relationship like with your former employer? Only you can judge whether this act was malicious or accidental.

Technically, yes this is a breach of your personal information and weirdly inappropriate when providing a reference. You can report this incident to the ICO but they will be very slow and probably unwilling to do very much if the incident has not caused you problems.

Congrats on your new job......sounds like it was very well timed! Good luck.