TIME is running out for employers to ensure their employee data is compliant with new European Union privacy regulations coming into force and avoid potential fines.

That is the advice being issued by law firm Blake Morgan, which is warning that many employers across the public and private sectors may not be prepared for the important changes introduced by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

It also warns firms are specifically in the dark about how the regulations will affect human resources policies and processes.

The firm has launched a new and updated guide, We Mean Business: Counting Down to the GDPR, which includes practical and specialist guidance for employers in order to achieve compliance over the next few weeks.

It comes after a survey by Blake Morgan, which has headquarters in Portsmouth, revealed nine out of ten businesses had still not made crucial updates to their privacy policies – a key requirement of GDPR for handling employee data.

GDPR comes into force on May 25 and all organisations which retain or process personal information will need to comply, both for the information they keep on employees internally and what is kept on record about clients and customers.

Employers could be liable for fines of up to £17m or four per cent of their annual worldwide turnover – whichever is greater – for data breaches and organisations will have just 72 hours from the discovery of a breach to report it.

Under the GDPR regulations, employees as data subjects will have greater rights than currently under the UK Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998.

The regulations present employers with a number of important changes concerning both the way they handle information about their employees and what they tell employees about the information they store.

Managing partner and an employment specialist at Blake Morgan Mike Wilson said: “In the digital age, it only takes a few moments to realise just how much information employers store and process about their employees.

“GDPR raises the bar significantly from existing legislation in terms of giving employees greater rights and compliance is likely to require a practical, cultural and structural shift in the majority of businesses and organisations.

“May is quickly approaching, so organisations that haven’t already done so should start preparing for the changes.

“Those that are already in the midst of their compliance project should be checking to see how their action plans are progressing and whether all key issues are being addressed.”

To download a free copy of the GDPR guide, visit the law company’s website at: www.blakemorgan.co.uk/GDPR