Data-leak complaints unsubstantiated

July 13, 2011

The Labour Department received two complaints involving suspected improper use of job seekers' personal data in the first half of this year. An investigation failed to substantiate them, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung said today.
 
He told lawmakers the complainants alleged that after submitting their resumes by email to employers who had posted vacancies on the Labour Department’s interactive Employment Service website, they received more telephone calls from marketing companies.
 
They suspected their personal data had been leaked to outsiders. Since both cases involved job vacancies offered by employment agencies, the complainants were also concerned whether there were measures to ensure agencies were using the department's recruitment service properly. 
 
There was no evidence to prove the agencies had leaked their data.
 
Nonetheless, the department advised the agency involved in one of the complaints to observe the requirements for using the department's recruitment service, and that personal data job applicants provide must be used only for recruitment purposes.
 
In the other case, the complainant was unable to provide details of the agency concerned, so further investigation could not be made.