
Under GDPR, employers are entitled to monitor employee activity if they have a lawful basis for doing so and the purpose of their monitoring is clearly communicated to employees in advance-before any data is recorded the data subject must be warned. A system used to monitor the building for security purposes will usually be easy to justify. The use of CCTV systems in other circumstances – for example, to constantly monitor employees – can be more difficult to justify and could involve a breach of the Data Protection Acts. Should an employee object to the use of CCTV cameras in a particular area, the GDPR test places the burden on the employer to demonstrate that it has “compelling legitimate grounds” for processing that override the employees’ rights, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
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