Jul 15, 2023 at 3:38 PMUpdate: 15 minutes ago
The UWV illegally collected data from benefit recipients to see whether they were staying abroad without authorization while receiving unemployment benefits. This is evident from research by the NOS in News hour.
The benefits agency violated the principles of the privacy law by illegally collecting data. Also, proven fraudsters go unpunished by this method. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has asked the UWV for clarification.
Internal alarm signals previously did not lead to a shutdown of the system, but now 580 ongoing investigations are stopped.
The illegal data collection was only secretly stopped at the beginning of this year after advice from the permanent law firm of the government. The so-called state lawyer thought that this form of monitoring went much too far.
The behavior of visitors to UWV sites was monitored and analysed. The UWV used the IP addresses of logged-in visitors to UWV.nl and Werk.nl to check whether someone was abroad. The benefits agency also placed cookies to be able to follow those people.
UWV regrets: ‘We find this extremely annoying’
The UWV expresses regret in a response to NU.nl. “We think this is very unfortunate. We set high standards for ourselves and think it is important to put trust in people first. We find it very annoying that we missed something.”
The ‘risk scan’, as the UWV calls it, was extensively tested, according to the body. “During this process, all signals have always been green. But with our current knowledge, it appears that we made a mistake.”
In the end, it turned out to be a difference of opinion between the UWV lawyers and those of the state attorney. “That’s right. Nothing has ever come forward from our own privacy lawyers.”
The FNV “is shocked”, Vice-President Kitty Jong said to the NOS. “People are immediately suspicious. This was shooting with a cannon at a mosquito.”
‘We are doing everything we can to tackle vulnerable people’
The union also stands up for benefit recipients. Young is especially angry because unemployed citizens are being investigated. “We are doing everything we can to tackle the vulnerable people who have just lost their jobs. While the major fraud is committed by tax evaders in Blaricum and Wassenaar. Let them throw a dragnet over it.”
WW recipients must log in to the website of the UWV to prove, for example, that they meet their application obligation. Going abroad is only allowed under strict conditions.
According to the UWV, the risk scan was initiated in response to fraud with unemployment benefits by migrant workers. The risk scan resulted in 3,600 investigations. In 460 cases this resulted in adjustments to benefits, termination of benefits and fines.
2023-07-15 13:38:19
#UWV #illegally #collected #data #benefit #claimants #websites #inland
