Privacy in the workplace

1
Privacy in the workplace

• Chris Connolly
• Director
• Financial Services Consumer Policy Centre

2
Introduction

• In Australia, we have chosen to exempt employee
  records from the new privacy legislation for the
  private sector
• In the rest of the world, employee privacy gets
  special protection
• This presentation examines how we can address
  privacy issues in the workplace

3
Overview

• Workplace privacy protection in Australia
  (Federal)
• Workplace privacy protection in Australia (State)
• The EU Directive and the The US Safe Harbour
  arrangements
• The Hong Kong Human Resources Management Code of
  Conduct and the UK Email Guidelines
• Good Corporate Practice

4
Federal protection

• Privacy (Private Sector) Amendment Act 2000
• Exemption for employee records
• Government inquiry into existing protections
• Do industrial relations laws protect privacy?
• Ansett Case
• Privacy Commissioner Guidelines
• Email in the workplace

5
State Legislation

• NSW
• General privacy law
• Video surveillance
• Email guidelines
• Victoria
• General privacy law
• Surveillance Devices Act

6
International Developments

• EU Directive
• US Safe Harbour Arrangements
• FAQ 9 on protecting employee privacy
• Hong Kong
• Human Resources Management Code of Conduct
• United Kingdom
• Email in the workplace

7
Good Corporate Practice

• Advertising
• Unsolicited CVs
• Employee Privacy Policy
• Handling of Sensitive Data
• Retention and Destruction policy
• Email and web use policy
• Surveillance in the workplace
• Access and correction rights

8
The Centre

• Financial Services
• Consumer Policy Centre.
• Law Faculty
• University of New South
• Wales NSW 2052
• t. [phone]
• f. [phone]
• director_at_fscpc.org.au