In this case, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) issued a warning to the organisation Executive Coach International Pte. Ltd. which provides life and executive coaching services to individual and corporate clients for breaching the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
The organisation’s director disclosed an ex-employee’s personal history (her past drug problem and issue with infidelity in her amorous relationship) in a WhatsApp group chat comprising the ex-employee and the organisation’s other staff and volunteer trainees without the ex-employee’s consent and without notifying her of the purposes for the disclosure.
The organisation argued that the director had disclosed the personal data in his personal capacity. However, the PDPC found that the disclosure of personal data was made in the context of a dispute arising from the unamicable departure of the complainant from the organisation’s employment. The PDPC found that the director of the organisation was acting in the course of his employment as a director when he disclosed the complainant’s personal data. Therefore he cannot said to be acting in his personal capacity.
