To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department has issued for employees informing them of their rights to privacy at work since the outbreak of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered on
28 January 2021
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and is responsible for providing advice and guidance on compliance with the UK’s data protection laws.
The ICO has created a data protection and coronavirus information hub to help individuals and organisations navigate data protection during this unprecedented time, available at: https://ico.org.uk/global/data-protection-and-coronavirus-information-hub/. The Hub includes advice for people about how and when organisations can process their personal data during the coronavirus pandemic and how to keep their personal data safe.
The ICO has also published specific guidance for employers on the rules in relation to monitoring of employees. Section 3.2 of its Employment Practices Code deals with the monitoring of telephone, fax, e-mail, voice-mail, internet access and other forms of electronic communication: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1064/the_employment_practices_code.pdf.
Employees who have concerns about the way employers are using their data can contact the ICO’s helpline on 0303 123 1113 or their livechat at https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/live-chat/ for further advice, from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.