Final answer:
Under PIPEDA, employers are obliged to get employee consent before collecting personal details, especially when conducting background checks. Consent may not be needed when required by law, but ethical practices call for transparency in handling personal information.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to PIPEDA, employers must obtain an employee's consent before collecting personal information when conducting background checks. This is essential for protecting an individual's privacy and personal information. Employers are required to collect only the minimum information necessary and must inform the employee about the purpose of the collection, how the information will be used, and who will have access to it.
Consent is crucial when sensitive data is involved, and respecting privacy is a fundamental aspect of ethical and legal business practices. There are exceptions to this requirement, such as when the collection of personal information is required by law, which does not require employee consent. In circumstances like conducting performance reviews or offering promotions, consent might not explicitly be required, while ethical considerations still necessitate transparency and respect for privacy.