My boss is monitoring staff via CCTV. Is this legal?

goonarmy

Jamopy wrote: »

Strictly speaking, if they don't have SIA licenses they're not allowed to bein CCTV control rooms or monitor the feed of the system.

Complete rubbish.

Liz3yy

I don't see what the problem is, as long as you're doing the job you're being paid to do and have nothing to hide what is the problem with CCTV being present?

TherealMandM

http://www.yourrights.org.uk/faqs/workplace-faqs/my-employer-is-using-cctv-to-monitor-me-at-work-is-this-legal.html

real1314

esj13 wrote: »

I was called in as a witness on this and I mentioned the CCTV to the directors conducting the investigation and they said that they think he should check on staff to make sure theyre doing what they should and not be asleep.
I have looked in the conpany CCTV policy and it states very clearly that: "Staff will not be routinely monitored by the use of CCTV equipment."

It sounds like the contract of employment is being breached by the employer as they are routinely monitoring staff. It also sounds like the directors don't even know the terms and conditions of the contracts they have issued.

If an employee breaches their contract, and if an employee doesn't have any understanding of their own job, I'd suggest they are not fit to hold the post.


"Staff have the right to view any images recorded of them, so long as they can provide grounds for reasonable cause."

This is in breach of the DPA - staff have the right to see anything that includes them on demand - not on "grounds for reasonable cause"

I am wondering if anyone can tell me where this stands in a legal way. Is this an invasion on staff privacy?

So, the managers are breaching the contract of employment, the directors don't understand this, and they are also breaking the law.

Effectively they are creating a raft of liabilities for the company.

Tiddlywinks

Jamopy wrote: »

Strictly speaking, if they don't have SIA licenses they're not allowed to bein CCTV control rooms or monitor the feed of the system.

Rubbish.

Jamopy wrote: »

Data protection laws are pretty clear, and simply using CCTV to look over your employees shoulders as they work is illegal. Proving they are doing that may be difficult though.

Rubbish - yet again.

Jamopy wrote: »

Being in a work place does not violate any persons right to privacy. CCTV systems have to be used for security purposes, if you are using them just to spy on your employees you are breaking the law.

And a hat trick!

There is a marked difference between watching and spying... but why ruin a tale of corporate conspiracy?

DCFC79

If all the boss is doing monitoring staff then thats what hes doing, hes making sure the staff are doig what they are meant to be doing. Problems arise when the cctv is used for non work purposes or for snooping on someone unnecessarily.

anamenottaken

RobertoMoir wrote: »

That it's against their employer's company policy on CCTV. You know, like they said in their post.

The OP says the policy is "Staff will not be routinely monitored by the use of CCTV equipment." So whether it is actually agaist the policy depends on the meaning of "routinely" and "monitor".

Tiddlywinks

Plus, some members of staff may warrant closer attention as a result of previous actions... close monitoring is not unusual in those circumstances.

This use of the CCTV system is not covert - the staff know it is happening.

You should not do anything in a shared workspace that you would not want others to see.

CCTV in a shared workspace - where staff have been made aware of the system - is not illegal, intrusive or draconian.... but your view will differ if you are trying to hide something, work less hours or something similar.

Jamopy

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Rubbish.



Rubbish - yet again.



And a hat trick!

There is a marked difference between watching and spying... but why ruin a tale of corporate conspiracy?

I actually have a CCTV operator SIA license, do you?

You can dislike the laws, and as i said earlier actually proving offence is very difficult, but that doesn't change the fact that they are laws and you are violating them.

sexyshark

My boss spends her entire shift watching us on cctv