Do you believe that understanding your company's policies is important or just reading is enough? Where do you even begin?

In a company there are many internal company policies, some you would have read, some you have heard about, some you might have just scrolled through, and some you might have signed as read, but did you understand the policy?

If the answer is no, begin by reading the company's internal privacy policy. Why is this information important to know you might ask? It is important for you to know about the policy to exercise your right and to report any violations of the policy if you observe or suspect it.

The internal privacy policy provides information about how the company collects, uses, and shares your personal data (data of its employees), with respect to their permanent or temporary employment and engagement with the company.?

More specifically, it describes, among other things.

• Who is responsible for your personal data at the company
• What type of personal data and for what purpose personal data is processed
• How do we store, share, and protect your personal data
• What are your data privacy rights
• How can you exercise these rights

As an employee, you have certain rights under The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) These rights are::

1. Right to access your personal data. You are entitled to request information about which personal data we process about you and how the personal data is being processed. You also have the right to request a copy of the personal data we process about you.?
2. Right to rectification. If you consider your personal data that Telavox processes to be inaccurate, e.g. information concerning your name or address, you have the right to get the inaccurate information corrected and to get the incomplete information completed by providing us with the correct information.
3. Right to erasure. You have the right to request that your personal data be erased, e.g. if the processing is no longer relevant in relation to the purpose the information was collected for or if you recall your consent to the processing and there is no other purpose for processing.
4. Right to limitation of processing You have the right to request limitation of the processing of your personal data, with the exception of storage. Limitation of processing can be requested for example if you object to the accuracy of the personal data or if you consider the processing of your personal data to be unlawful.?
5. Right to objection You have the right to object at any time concerning the processing of your personal data in accordance with GDPR article 6.1 (e) or (f) (legitimate interest), including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.?
6. Right to data portability You have the right to obtain the personal data you have provided us with in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and have these transmitted to another controller, provided that the process is automatized and that the process is based on a consent or an agreement.?
7. Right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority If you have a complaint or your personal data is being processed unfairly you have the right to contact the supervisory authority of your country.
8. Right to withdraw consent You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

As an employee, you are responsible for reading, understanding, and complying with the Policy. Sometimes even sign an acknowledgment that you have understood what the policy says.

If you have any questions regarding the policy you should reach out to the company's Data Privacy Officer (DPO), if there is no DPO then the privacy team, if there is no privacy team then the legal team.

Understand the privacy policy protect your privacy and keep yourself secure.

About the author:

I am Aakritee, a Corporate Lawyer based in Stockholm, a mother of twins, a Contract & Compliance enthusiast, and an avid reader.

Feel free to leave a comment, or message me to ask about the book I am currently reading, or just say Hej (Hi in Swedish).