{"id":179391,"date":"2023-01-31T02:12:25","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T02:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=179391"},"modified":"2026-04-21T03:39:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T02:39:41","slug":"employee-leaks-confidential-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment\/employee-leaks-confidential-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Actions to Take if an Employee Leaks Confidential Information in the UK"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"p1\">An employee leaking confidential information is a serious breach of trust and legal obligation, where sensitive business or client information is shared without authorisation, potentially causing reputational damage and financial loss. Employers must respond promptly by investigating the breach, managing disciplinary action, and taking steps to limit further harm, particularly where the conduct may amount to gross misconduct.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; <\/span> This article explains what to do if an employee leaks confidential information and how to manage the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What is Confidential Information?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/protect-confidential-information\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Confidential information<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is information in your business that is protected. It is protected either because:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">your employees have been made aware that it is confidential; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">it is evident to your employees that they should not use it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You may inform your employees about confidential information through clauses in their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment\/importance-employment-contracts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">employment contracts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and employment policies, procedures and rules.&nbsp;<\/span>You might also have separate <a href=\"http:\/\/Simple steps include sharing only what is necessary and on a need-to-know basis, using strong security measures when sharing confidential information, and limiting access to specific individuals.\" data-wplink-url-error=\"true\">confidentiality agreements<\/a> in place that specifically outline what your business considers to be trade secrets or non-public information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Confidential information could be, for example:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">employees\u2019 personal information, such as bank details and home addresses; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">business information, such as customer lists and financial information.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A breach of confidential information is when confidential information is disclosed without permission from the person who owns the information.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n    <p dir=\"auto\"><strong>Key Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol dir=\"auto\">\n<li><strong>3,872<\/strong>: Employee data breaches reported to the ICO in 2025, hitting a seven-year high and underscoring risks of confidential information leaks by staff.<\/li>\n<li><strong>43%<\/strong>: Of UK businesses experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the past year, often involving unauthorised disclosure of confidential information.<\/li>\n<li><strong>22%<\/strong>: Of UK employers use NDAs when dealing with workplace allegations, highlighting the role of confidentiality agreements in managing information leaks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p dir=\"auto\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol dir=\"auto\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peoplemanagement.co.uk\/article\/1953530\/employee-data-breaches-hit-seven-year-high-study-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Employee data breaches hit seven-year high, study finds<\/a> citing Nockolds analysis of ICO data (People Management, April 2026).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/statistics\/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2025\/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Cyber security breaches survey 2025<\/a> (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology \/ Ipsos, April 2025).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cipd.org\/uk\/knowledge\/reports\/bullying-harassment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">CIPD report on bullying and harassment at work<\/a> (CIPD, September 2024).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Actions When an Employee Leaks Confidential Information<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You should take immediate action if your employee or staff member leaks confidential information. For example, you may need to inform the affected party about the breach, perhaps through a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/benefits-data-protection-officer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Data Compliance Officer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. However, as an employer, you will need to take action in terms of the member of staff.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Below is a guide about what you should do regarding your member of staff who leaks confidential information.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">1. Inform Your Staff Member<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first action to take is to inform your staff member that you are aware of their breach. When doing so, you should ask them to give you confirmation that they will no longer misuse the confidential information.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2. Consider Disciplinary Action<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When your staff breaches confidentiality, it will likely be a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment\/conduct-disciplinary-investigation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">disciplinary matter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. However, before you can decide this, you will need to:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">determine if you have made it clear in your employment rules, policies and procedures that your staff cannot breach confidential information and what the consequences may be if they do; and<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">promptly investigate the matter. A thorough investigation will require you to gather evidence, interview staff members, and ask for witness statements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3. Take Formal Disciplinary Action<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The outcome of your investigation will determine whether you need to take formal disciplinary action.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You do not need to commence formal action if your employee did not intend to leak confidential information but instead made a mistake. For example, they may have been rushing when sending an email. In this instance, an informal letter may be appropriate, warning them that you will take formal disciplinary action if the behaviour is repeated.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where your member of staff\u2019s breach of confidential information was intentional, you may decide to take formal disciplinary action. It is best practice to follow your disciplinary and grievance procedures in these circumstances, which should be full and fair. You will need to hold a formal disciplinary meeting, which will lead you to decide what steps to take, including potential termination of employment.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When choosing what action to take, consider the effect of the breach on your business in terms of reputation and financial loss.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"not-prose\">0808 196 8584<\/a> 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Consider Legal Action<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suppose the employee does not satisfactorily confirm they will stop misusing your confidential information. Alternatively, your employee may have disappeared from work. In that case, you may be able to make a legal claim against them. Your claim could be in the form of a legal injunction (a ban on your employee from using the confidential information) or damages (monetary compensation for loss due to their breach). The court will decide which remedy is suitable for the circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your staff member leaks confidential information, this is serious regarding their employment with you and the effects on your business. Therefore, you will need to take action when discovering a breach of confidentiality. You should carry out a full investigation to allow you to establish what has happened. Your investigation will help determine future action, such as commencing formal disciplinary action. A breach of confidential information could ultimately result in your termination of the employment of a member of staff or even legal action.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LegalVision provides ongoing legal support for businesses through our fixed-fee legal membership. Our experienced <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment-lawyers-lp\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">employment lawyers<\/span><\/a><\/strong> help businesses manage contracts, employment law, disputes, intellectual property, and more, with unlimited access to specialist lawyers for a fixed monthly fee. To learn more about LegalVision\u2019s legal membership, call <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visit our membership page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1675130907715\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is a breach of confidential information?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A breach of confidential information is where a member of staff shares confidential information without the permission of the person who owns it.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1675130914807\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Should I take formal disciplinary action when a staff member breaches confidentiality?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When your staff member leaks confidential information, you will likely need to take formal disciplinary action. However, this will depend predominantly on whether the breach was intentional, and you will need to investigate to establish this. It is best practice to conduct informal procedures first, such as speaking to the employee in question.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1776405823978\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can you take legal action against an employee for a confidentiality breach?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. You may seek remedies such as an injunction to stop further disclosure or damages for losses caused by the breach, depending on the seriousness of the situation.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1776405836319\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Do you always need to take formal disciplinary action?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. You should first investigate whether the breach was intentional. Accidental breaches may warrant informal action, while deliberate conduct is more likely to require formal disciplinary procedures.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An employee leaking confidential information is a serious breach of trust and legal obligation, where sensitive business or client information is shared without authorisation, potentially causing reputational damage and financial loss. Employers must respond promptly by investigating the breach, managing disciplinary action, and taking steps to limit further harm, particularly where the conduct may amount<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment\/employee-leaks-confidential-information\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Actions to Take if an Employee Leaks Confidential Information in the UK&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13610,"featured_media":3246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1912,2015,1758,177242,4186,176736","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[20,21,277,445,446,680],"class_list":["post-179391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employment","tag-small-business","tag-medium-business","tag-confidential-information","tag-workplace-confidentiality","tag-confidentiality-clause","tag-breach-of-contract"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Employee Leaks Confidential Information | LegalVision UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When your staff member leaks confidential information, you will likely need to take formal disciplinary action. 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