Privacy In The Workplace – Processing Of Employee Data

Background

The EU Data Protection Working Group – the Article 29 Working Party (the "WP29") has published a revised opinion in relation to data processing in the workplace and employee monitoring.

The WP29 is an EU level advisory group comprising representatives from the data protection authorities of the member states of the EU and whose purpose is to provide guidance to ensure that data protection law is applied uniformly across the EU. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Ireland aligns closely with WP29 opinions in interpreting data protection law.

The WP29 has previously produced guidance around employee privacy and monitoring, emphasising the importance that is placed on maintaining a balance between safeguarding employers' interests and protecting the privacy of employees. This latest opinion builds on that earlier guidance by focusing both on technologies that have come into use in the period since the previous guidance issued and concurrent