I work in a hotel, which has taken to installing covert CCTV cameras in order to monitor and video the activities of staff at work. Surely covert CCTV monitoring is an infringement of our human rights?
Employers can monitor their workplace for various reasons, and doing so is not contrary to the Data Protection Act. However employees are entitled to some privacy and employees should be told about any monitoring arrangements and the reason for it. It’s very rare that employers would need to carry out monitoring in secret without the staff being told they are being monitored. Employers must have a genuine reason to carry out covert monitoring such as criminal activities or malpractice. Monitoring must be obtained as quickly as possible, and only as part of a specific investigation.