Privacy Protocol 4 –confirmation of payroll or employee status to financial institutions or other organisations
The Human Resources Department and the Payroll Office regularly receive requests for confirmation of payroll or employee status from financial institutions or other organisations (for example, real estate agents) with whom that staff member may be transacting business in a private capacity. Whilst it is generally assumed that confirmation of such information is for the benefit of the staff member, the protection of personal privacy is paramount.
Information Standard 42 – Information Privacy and the University’s Privacy Policy prohibit the disclosure of personal information outside the University. One exception to this is where an individual has consented to the disclosure.
Consequently, the bona fides of the request must be established and written consent from the staff member must be obtained. Consent can occur in one of two ways:
- via a signed authorisation already provided by the staff member directly to the organisation concerned (some financial and similar institutions obtain from an applicant or customer a consent for the disclosure of payroll and employee details by their employer); or
- via a written authorisation provided by the staff member directly to QUT.
Where the external organisation does not have a written consent, then the external enquirer should be advised that the staff member must contact the HR Department/Payroll Office (as applicable) and provide the required authorisation in writing. An email may be regarded as an acceptable form of written authorisation for this purpose. The staff member should also provide contact details for the external organisation.
Where staff of the Human Resources Department or the Payroll Office are contacted by financial institutions or other organisations to confirm payroll details or employee status, the following procedure must be followed.
- The representative of the external organisation must be advised of the University’s policy on privacy, and of the willingness of the University to confirm information if a written consent is received from the staff member.
- HR or Payroll staff should then enquire as to the existence of a consent which the staff member has already provided to the organisation in the course of transacting business or making an application to that organisation.
- If this can be provided, it may be faxed to QUT. The HR or Payroll officer dealing with the request should ensure that the scope of the authorisation given by the staff member is consistent with the enquiry that has been made by the external organisation, and if so, may then proceed to confirm the relevant information.
- Once the authorisation is received and provided that its scope is consistent with the enquiry that has been made by the external organisation, then confirmation of relevant information may proceed.
- Records of the enquiry, including the authorisation, should be retained for a period of 1 year (note: this retention period may be revised once privacy aspects of the general disposal schedule are finalised by Queensland State Archives).
Pay details (other than gross salary), and all casual staff employment information, must be confirmed by the Payroll Office. Confirmation of all other appointment information should be done by the relevant human resources advisor in the Human Resources Department.
Staff intending to provide a copy of a QUT Virtual pay advice may have the copy endorsed by the Payroll Office prior to submission to the external organisation as an alternative to the above procedures.