Summary of updates – December 2014

Here’s a summary of the updates that we’ve made recently to our Information Hub.

Disclosing to employers information series

• We’ve recently published an information series focusing on disclosing criminal records to employers. The series is designed to be brief and simple, summarising the key issues and providing further links to information available elsewhere on the Hub.
• In response to enquiries about self-disclosure ‘templates’ we have provided some examples of self-disclosure statements on the Hub. This is not the only way to disclose, but for those that decide this works for them, any statement you write should be tailored to a specific job vacancy and should be personal to your own situation. Have a look at our examples and hopefully they’ll give you some guidance when writing your own.

Enforced subject access

• The Ministry of Justice has recently announced that the change to the Data Protection Act which will make enforced subject access a criminal offence has been delayed. We had been expecting this to come into force on the 1st December 2014 but understand that due to technical issues it is expected to commence in early 2015. Keep checking the Hub for the latest news.

Guidance on Internet Search Results / Right to be Forgotten / Report concerns to the ICO

• On the 26th November, the Article 29 Working Party issued guidance on the interpretation of the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’. The guidance, which the Information Commissioners Office was involved in producing, gives a good indication as to how the ICO will treat complaints that it deals with. We’re still looking at how this applies to people with spent convictions and are seeking cases where people have been successful in getting search results and/or online content removed. Those who have been unsuccessful should refer their case to the Information Commissioner’s Office, who have recently set up an easy to use ‘report a concern’ function on their website.

Travel to the USA

• We have published a new simple guide to travelling to the USA. This is a brief document which sets out whether you’re eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Programme and if not, how to apply for a visa. It should be used in conjunction with our detailed guide.