Am I Allowed to Conduct Surveillance on My Employees?

Like most employers, you may only consider whether you are permitted to conduct surveillance on employees following allegations of misconduct. In such circumstances, you may seek to conduct an investigation that is compliant with relevant laws and which you can rely on for disciplinary action. However, to be compliant with relevant laws, it is important to consider such questions before undergoing investigation. This article explains:

• what surveillance is;
• why it is important;
• what the law says; and
• some practical steps to take.

What Is Workplace Surveillance?

Workplace surveillance means surveillance conducted by employers on their employees. This is regardless of whether you intend it for that purpose or not. For example, you may use surveillance in a shop for the security of customers to conduct surveillance on employees. This amounts to workplace surveillance.