The French Data Protection Authority, Commission
Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL),
imposed a hefty fine of EUR 32 million on Amazon France Logistique
in a decision dated 27 December 2023 for excessively monitoring its
employees.
Background
Amazon France Logistique manages the warehouses and distribution
centres in France for the popular online retailer Amazon. In these
warehouses, customer packages are received, stocked, and prepared
for shipment to the customer. There are 6,200 employees and 21,000
temporary workers on site. To perform their work, warehouse
employees were equipped with a scanner to register the execution of
their tasks in real time. This included recording data on placing
or removing an item from shelves, storing or packing items, etc.
These data were then used to monitor the employee's work for
quality, productivity, and periods of inactivity. After this
monitoring came to light in the press and employees filed
