The ICO publishes guidance on monitoring workers

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has published its final guidance on worker monitoring to help employers comply with data protection law if they wish to monitor their workers. This is aimed at both public and private sector employers and sets out how to conduct monitoring fairly and lawfully. It also includes good practice recommendations to help build trust between employers and workers.

Unsurprisingly, the ICO highlights the importance of transparency and respect for privacy, underlining that any monitoring must be necessary, proportionate and respect the rights of workers.  

The guidance focuses on different considerations for different types of monitoring and includes a section on using biometric data for time and attendance control and monitoring. Interestingly, this comes while the ICO's draft guidance on biometric data and data protection (part one of two on biometric data guidance) is still out for consultation. It's unlikely it will change significantly before it is published in final form, and, as most of the practical examples relate to using biometric data in an employment situation, employers considering monitoring workers should refer to this draft guidance as well as to the final worker monitoring guidance.