Partner Sue Dowling, head of our Employment Law team, introduces a series of helpful blog articles for employers on Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs or SARs).
Over the course of the next few months, our Employment Law team will be examining the law and practice relating to Data Subject Access Requests (frequently referred to as DSARs or SARs) to assist employers in this increasingly common aspect of business life.
The ever-expanding area of Data Protection (recently supplemented and varied by the Data Use and Access Act 2025) and the increasing awareness of current and former employees of their rights to make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) during or after their employment, means that employers are now more frequently having to plan for and respond to DSARs (on occasions in advance of, or alongside Tribunal Proceedings against them).
For many small or medium sized employers, DSARs are met with a sense of dread in terms of how to response to requests in a lawful, efficient way, whilst not allowing the process to derail ‘business as usual’.
Partner, Sue Dowling; senior associate, Victoria Eustace; and solicitor, Aoife McGrath, aim, through this series of helpful blog articles, to de-mystify this potentially complex area of day-to-day workplace life by looking at the following topics:
- What a DSAR is: how are they made and what approach should be adopted by employers;
- Understanding the fundamental concept and terms: “personal data”, “processing”, “controller”, “access” and the provision of “confirmation” relating to personal data processing;
- What to do on receipt of a DSAR;
- Exemptions which may apply to providing personal data under a DSAR;
- Handling Employment Tribunal claims and DSARs;
- Preparatory actions to implement in advance of DSARs.
Our Employment Law team can advise on all aspects of Employment Law, including in relation to Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs or SARs).
For further information or legal advice, please contact law@blandy.co.uk or call 0118 951 6800.
This article is intended for the use of clients and other interested parties. The information contained in it is believed to be correct at the date of publication, but it is necessarily of a brief and general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific professional advice.
