Evening of gratitude for awards sponsors

In the lead-up to the Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards gala dinner, the Hertfordshire Chamber hosted an elegant drinks reception to express heartfelt appreciation to the sponsors who make the prestigious awards possible.

Held at the picturesque Tewinbury Farm Hotel, the evening brought together representatives from across Hertfordshire’s business community for an informal yet meaningful gathering. Attendees enjoyed a glass of fizz, shared stories and reflected on the significance of the awards and the network that supports them.

A highlight of the evening came from Simon Walsh of SA Law, one of the event’s headline sponsors, who spoke passionately about the strength of Hertfordshire’s business ecosystem and the value of recognising excellence through the Inspiring Herts Awards.

Guests were invited to introduce themselves and their organisations, offering a valuable opportunity to connect, collaborate and celebrate shared successes ahead of the main awards ceremony.

The Chamber extends its deepest thanks to all sponsors for their generous support and commitment to championing innovation, resilience and achievement across the region:

• SA Law

• Viatris

• Allica Bank

• Ashbourne Insurance

• Barclays

• Broxbourne Council

• CAE Technology Services

• Chapman Ventilation

• Croft

• Deluxe Driven

• East Herts District Council

• Green Building Design Consultants

• Hatfield Park

• Hertsmere Borough Council

• KGK Genix

• Longmores Solicitors

• Menzies LLP

• NFU Mutual Hertford and North Herts

• Oventrop UK

• Pearldrop Video Production

• Sika

• Stevenage Borough Council

• Yasmine Moller

Their invaluable support ensures the Inspiring Herts Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the people and organisations driving growth and excellence in the county.

What HR Professionals & Employers need to know about Data Subject Access Requests (Sar) Miranda Mulligan, Senior Employment Solicitor, at Longmores Solicitors explains what employers and senior HR professionals need to know if they receive a subject access request from an employee.

Q Can an employee raise a subject access request at any time?

A

Yes. Any individual, including an employee can make a request to an organisation that holds their personal data. Personal data means any information relating to an identifiable or identified (living) individual. This can include an individual’s name, telephone number or an address. It could also include an employee’s employment reference number if they are identifiable from that information.

Q How long does an employer have to respond to a SAR?

A

A SAR must be dealt with within one month of receipt but this period can, if the matter is complex, be extended by a further two months. Matters which might make the request complex can include technical difficulties in retrieving information, for example where data has been electronically archived.

Q If the documents requested identifies another individual, can I just refuse to provide that information?

AIf another individual is identified or identifiable from the request, you may not need to provide that data. However, you would need to consider whether the other individual has consented and if not, whether it is reasonable to disclose that information without their consent. It may also be possible to redact the other named individuals so that the documents can be provided without identifying others.

In employment matters, if the other individual identified is a line manager and the request is in relation to performance of that individual’s role, then it may be reasonable to disclose the line manager’s name even in the absence of consent. This is a balancing act and each request will need to be reviewed individually.

Q Are there any exemptions to providing personal data?

AWhilst there are exemptions which may apply, these are limited in application. The most common exemption within the employment context is in relation to any reference given in confidence which would fall outside the scope of the request.

Q Can an employee submit a SAR when they are threatening or have started legal action?

A

Yes, the fact that litigation is pending or threatened does not prevent an employee from bringing a request or the employer from responding. However, any information which is subject to legal privilege can be excluded from the SAR response.

Q Should an employee have any documents or policies in place?

AYes, an employer shall have a privacy notice setting out the details of data collected on behalf of staff as well as the grounds relied upon for processing such data. Additionally, it is helpful to put procedures in place setting out the process to be followed when responding to a SAR.