Protecting privacy of workers

Workers in industrialized countries are losing privacy in the workplace as technological advances permit employers to monitor virtually every facet of time on the job. One may be under observation with or without permission, knowing or unknowingly. A variety of practices have been challenged as violations of workers' privacy. These include: electronic monitoring and surveillance techniques, and intrusive testing of workers and job seekers.

In Switzerland, employees of a watch company successfully challenged the presence of surveillance cameras in different areas of the workplace. The employer's claim that the cameras were installed in order to only control the functioning of automatic machines was disproved. A court order ruled in favour of the personality right of the workers and stated that the employer had failed to establish a superior interest to justify control. Restrictions on video and audio surveillance have been placed in Italy, Norway and Sweden following surveillance abuses. In Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, the use of technical devices to monitor employee behaviour and performances requires prior agreement or consultation. As of 1994, the European Union data protection directive was set for completion by the end of the 1994.