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Original poster

Work HR: Preferred Pronouns are mandatory

117 replies

MoreThanAFeline · 14/09/2023 20:22

Name changed for this. I wanted to update my address on the HR system at work. The instructions on how to do this say that something simple like updating an address can be done easily and that each section can be independently accessed.

When I try to click to the address part of the form, I get the attached error message.
Preferred Pronouns are apparently mandatory. My 'gender identity' is mandatory. My 'trans status' is mandatory. Sex is not asked for anywhere.

My workplace is supposed to be run by grown ups. How depressing.

Work HR: Preferred Pronouns are mandatory
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10
Uterusbegone · 14/09/2023 22:05

In a practical sense 'Prefer to self describe' probably opens a free text box where you can put 'I don't believe in gender identity' and 'use the pronouns aligned with my sex'

Luno · 14/09/2023 22:01

It's not just data it's sensitive personal data. Making it mandatory is against GDPR.

AvacadoFieldsForever · 14/09/2023 21:55

I agree with going to the DPO and legal or risk team. You should be able to opt out of this at the very least. It’s MUST be freely given and only collected for legitimate purposes or they’re in breach. Ie your address is legitimate and relevant to your payslip but you are not obliged to disclose your sexuality, religion etc.

HR and diversity tend to get a bit overexcited about this stuff but the risk team should be rattled into fixing this and quickly.

QuillBill · 14/09/2023 21:50

This is the maddest form I have ever seen. Sexual orientation!

And the White - E W NI British one! Confused

minsmum · 14/09/2023 21:48

I asked the SO I where I work and was told there is no legal basis for asking those questions. I was trying to be proactive

Craftycorvid · 14/09/2023 21:48

I would be tempted to input a lot of contradictory nonsense, or contact HR complaining that you feel unsafe due to identifying as a zebra and it not being listed as an option. Or invent some highly exotic pronouns and insist everyone uses them.

Coyoacan · 14/09/2023 21:41

It's like making it mandatory to say what church you attend, isn't it?

Lysis · 14/09/2023 21:37

I wouldn't bother going to HR: I'd go to your organisation's DPO (Data Protection Officer) and ask them to explain the lawful basis for HR processing this data. As @ResisterRex said, they have no lawful basis: they could attempt to rely on consent if the questions are not mandatory, and if they try to tell you that it's the organisation's legitimate interest, ask them what that interest is.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 14/09/2023 21:35

You could tell them that their system is causing you emotional harm because they're forcing you to reveal your identity against your will?

Don't have to tell them that your identity is 'Too fucking qualified in biology for this shit', just that they're committing literal violence against you.

Myalternate · 14/09/2023 21:27

‘Self describe sexual orientation’ ? Why do they need to know this?

As for the question on Religion, I’d make up some new kind of religion that prevents me answering questions that aren’t relevant.

Catabogus · 14/09/2023 21:25

Can’t you choose “prefer to self-describe” and use the free text box to explain the problems with pronouns/gender?

FastBlueHedgehog · 14/09/2023 21:25

Is the option "prefer not to say" available as an answer to all those questions? I've had to do something similar today and i just put that for everything.

EarthSight · 14/09/2023 21:21

Crouton19 · 14/09/2023 20:55

Depending on how you want to approach this, you can also go down the route of saying it is a breach of the yogykarta (is that it?) principles to force someone to declare their gender identity as they may not want others to know.

I don't think anyone cares about those.

CallmeIT · 14/09/2023 21:19

We have this. For pronouns I give “It” (as per username). If asked my gender I say “other” and if asked to specify say “sex:female”

In other situations I typically answer gender: none. Or, If there is no free text option “prefer not to say”

there are usually ways around it, but I agree, it’s maddening.

EarthSight · 14/09/2023 21:18

This is awful OP. They are making you declare something highly personal, like declaring your religion or similar, and they know it. That's the whole point. It's a witchhunt to find out who the heretics are.

BCBird · 14/09/2023 21:14

I'm.in education. I hope I am sut of it before this comes to me. Those who do not want to be referred to as he/she according to their sex should specify their preferred pronoun.Surely it is as simple as that

GustyFinknottle · 14/09/2023 21:13

Looking through that, I wonder whether the office junior who was sent on the D&I training course has been put in charge. Your employer has no mandatory right to know these things and is setting themselves up for a legal challenge.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 14/09/2023 21:12

ResisterRex · 14/09/2023 20:28

Hopefully someone with good data knowledge will advise. But it would seem they're asking for information that has no legal basis (gender ID and preferred pronouns), and therefore processing data they don't need.

Be it: storing, deleting, sending from one person to another, they're probably processing data in an unlawful way because it's got no legal basis.

No organisation is meant to have more personal data than it needs. And it doesn't need what yours purports to be "mandatory" because...none of it's anchored in the law.

I read your post, clicked quote to type you have good data protection knowledge yourself, then saw the user name. And yes you do!

I would add to the OP - look up your employee Privacy Notice - it will state in there what data is being collected and what legal basis. If this data isn't listed - challenge hard.

Spottytoddler · 14/09/2023 21:07

I would also put random shit in. I would be tempted to put “she/him/they/zer/zum” or something equally CrAzY

KnickerlessParsons · 14/09/2023 21:07

GreenMonty · 14/09/2023 20:30

I have this at my workplace. Can't update bank details without giving gender identity question an answer. Don't have to indicate pronouns..

I have selected male, just to see if anyone challenges me.
Disappointingly, no one has yet must bleach my moustache.

KnickerlessParsons · 14/09/2023 21:05

I'm intrigued by the ethnicity question too:
White- E, W, NI or British.

Where is Scotland? And when did English, Welsh and N Irish people not also be British?

And isn't British a nationality rather than an ethnicity?

bossybloss · 14/09/2023 21:00

I would put I/ me … aren’t they pronouns ?

INeedAnotherName · 14/09/2023 20:56

Stupid questions here but why do they want to know if you are married or not, and if you have children? They can't ask for that information at interviews (last time I checked) so why is it suddenly acceptable to ask now? Actually scrub that, not ask but insist.

Crouton19 · 14/09/2023 20:55

Depending on how you want to approach this, you can also go down the route of saying it is a breach of the yogykarta (is that it?) principles to force someone to declare their gender identity as they may not want others to know.