work problem

con___manx1

Hi my boss in work has the security cameras on his phone from work and is using them to spy on employees instead of using them for security purposes. he also had a hidden camera in the toilet that has since been removed. Is it legal to spy on employees with security cameras outside my bosses own working hours.

davo10

con___manx1 wrote: »

Hi my boss in work has the security cameras on his phone from work and is using them to spy on employees instead of using them for security purposes. he also had a hidden camera in the toilet that has since been removed. Is it legal to spy on employees with security cameras outside my bosses own working hours.

You mean is it legal for him to monitor the employees. Has he made you all aware of the cameras and where they are located?

Atlantic Dawn

One in the toilet would have him locked up and exposed as a pervert.

davo10

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

One in the toilet would have him locked up and exposed as a pervert.

No problem with having them in the toilets as long as they are not pointed at the cubicles/urinells. I suspect this is a fast food outlet, the cameras in loos are there to prevent customers from making bogus injury claims, supermacs won a case a few years ago using cctv footage taken of a guy throwing water on the floor of the toilets then claiming to have slipped in it.

2Mad2BeMad

Could be very wrong here,

But I think its illegal to 'spy' on employees.
But at the same time you would have to prove he is using the cameras to watch your actions.
All he has to say is they are their for security of the shop/office etc...

Basically you can't win vs him on this.

Again I could be wrong so don't quote me on it.

My boss where I work has cameras everywere in the trade shop, but in the warehouse their is only 2, one watching the front main door and the other watching the back fire exit.
If he had cameras on fixed positions in the warehouse where no customers can enter and it was facing myself I could probably say something about it. Mainly because their are no customers aloud in the warehouse, only warehouse staff are aloud in and all exits are covered so no need to have cameras anywere else. But again he could have them anywere he likes as its his property and all he has to say is security.

Its like trying to prove you didnt get the job because of discrimination, or trying to prove someone gave you a bad reference just to spite you.
Its difficult.

But again I must say I have no idea regarding the law on this and I don't really care regarding the law if their is one,
Because any time anyone has any reason to ask this type of question, they are up to no good, or got caught doing something they shouldn't be doing and the boss pulled them on it.
Worst thing you can do is complain about it. That would put you in the bad books even more,
Tell us OP what did you do xD

2Mad2BeMad

con___manx1 wrote: »

Hi my boss in work has the security cameras on his phone from work and is using them to spy on employees instead of using them for security purposes. he also had a hidden camera in the toilet that has since been removed. Is it legal to spy on employees with security cameras outside my bosses own working hours.

Missed that question, sorry I speed read it,

No its not illegal for him to watch his premises outside his own working hours. Assuming of course he his the owner,

If its a company type thing, I'd find it weird but I don't think hes doing anything illegal regarding that.

My mother in law works in a retail trade shop (different job to me) and her boss goes on holidays alot, he constantly watchs the cameras from his phone from what I'm told.
She hates it, she can't wait to retire to get out of that hell hole but thats life its his store he can check up on the shop as much as he likes.

Ursus Horribilis

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/monitoring_and_surveillance_at_work/surveillance_of_electronic_communications_in_the_workplace.html

Manach

Legally it is okay to monitor employees. The safeguards are that is should be done in terms of deterring/checking for theft. As well, there has been a recent ruling though that also extends to communications on any employer-owned equipment (ie PCs).

con___manx1

davo10 wrote: »

You mean is it legal for him to monitor the employees. Has he made you all aware of the cameras and where they are located?

the cameras he used to spy on the employees are outside the premises and he is watching employees coming and going outside his own working hours. there is absolutely no need for him to do this.
the camera in the toilet was hidden and nobody was told about it. it has since been removed.

pablo128

con___manx1 wrote: »

the cameras he used to spy on the employees are outside the premises and he is watching employees coming and going outside his own working hours. there is absolutely no need for him to do this.
the camera in the toilet was hidden and nobody was told about it. it has since been removed.

I think once they make you aware there is CCTV on the premises, they don't have to show you where each camera is. Therefore the is no such thing as a 'hidden' camera. I believe in one of our premises in work, they have some bluetooth cameras which can be placed anywhere.

Ursus Horribilis

Can you clarify what you believe the difference between a security camera and a spying camera is? I have to admit I'm confused.

davo10

con___manx1 wrote: »

the cameras he used to spy on the employees are outside the premises and he is watching employees coming and going outside his own working hours. there is absolutely no need for him to do this.
the camera in the toilet was hidden and nobody was told about it. it has since been removed.

So the cameras are not focused on you while you are at work but rather (like most security cameras) focused on points of entry?

Just because he finishes at 5 doesn't mean he cannot check the cameras, particularly if he owns/manages the business. If the cameras are there as a deterrent against theft, that is fine, no doubt there are signs up warning any intruders that the premices are being monitored, but are you saying he is recording times of employees entering and leaving and what proof have you that this data is being recorded/retained?

Lastly, managers don't put in cameras, owners do, why don't you discuss this with the owner?

Ursus Horribilis

I'm genuinely curious to know what your beef with the cameras outside is. Are you taking long smoking breaks or something?

Mrs OBumble

con___manx1 wrote: »

he is watching employees coming and going outside his own working hours. there is absolutely no need for him to do this.

Is he the owner or overall site manager? Especially for an owner, there's no concept of his own working hours: he's working all the time, even when he's not on the floor.

AFAIK it's pretty common for small business owners to keep an eye on the place when they're not there.