Hidden camera at work.

Icyseanfitz

Hello, I'm curious with regards to the legality of a hidden camera being installed and lied about at my workplace. I've been working over 10 years in this place and last November I noticed a small black box directly over my till, looked like a smoke alarm. I questioned my assistant manager out of curiosity and was told it was for controlling lights. It turns out it is a hidden camera that they have been using to monitor my cash handling procedures.

I have asked for CCTV to be installed previously for my own safety but this just strikes me as wrong. Particularly as the angle of the camera would have full view of my phone interactions also.

CVB

Sounds like prison ! one word LEAVE !

Charles Babbage

Such a camera may be installed if you were informed about it. If you were deliberately misinformed about it, then that is another issue.

sheesh

they perfectly entitled to monitor the cash handling.
you do not have any right to/expectation of privacy while standing at the till.

I would point out that as long as you are not taking money from the business this is a good thing you will be eliminated from suspicion. I would imagine monitoring tills is standard practice in retail these days.

Icyseanfitz

sheesh wrote: »

they perfectly entitled to monitor the cash handling.
you do not have any right to/expectation of privacy while standing at the till.

I would point out that as long as you are not taking money from the business this is a good thing you will be eliminated from suspicion. I would imagine monitoring tills is standard practice in retail these days.

I would not disagree with anything you are saying. My problem is that I am the only person working this area, have done so for 10+ years and believe I should have been given the courtesy of being told I am being monitored and not lied to about it. Doesn't help that this place has zero cash handling procedures so I have my own system in place.

28064212

Some reading: https://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/Data-Protection-CCTV/242.htm

Samuel T. Cogley

Phone interactions? As in your personal mobile?

Inmyownworld

You have to be informed of being recorded in work, they cannot install CCTV to monitor you without your knowledge - there was a case a few years ago about CCTV being used without the employees knowledge in the deli section in Dunnes Stores where they caught an employee eating chicken goujons resulting in her dismissal. She took a successful unfair dismissal action due to the CCTV being installed and her being monitored without her knowledge.

I think they did find that she was contributory negligent as she was essentially stealing from the company but she still received an award.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/dunnes-stores-used-cctv-to-spy-on-staff-suspected-of-eating-at-deli-266228.html

Icyseanfitz

Yeah the camera would have full view of my personal phone interactions. I should point out that I have always been allowed to use my phone.

Hitman3000

Icyseanfitz wrote:

Yeah the camera would have full view of my personal phone interactions. I should point out that I have always been allowed to use my phone.

Your employer should have informed you of the cameras presence. You are now left with a few options. Confront you employer, leave or stop using your phone when behind the till.

punisher5112

Use data protection law if you are asking about it and just remember they may turn it on you that you're no longer allowed use your personal phone while in work.

Fann Linn

Inmyownworld wrote: »

You have to be informed of being recorded in work, they cannot install CCTV to monitor you without your knowledge - there was a case a few years ago about CCTV being used without the employees knowledge in the deli section in Dunnes Stores where they caught an employee eating chicken goujons resulting in her dismissal. She took a successful unfair dismissal action due to the CCTV being installed and her being monitored without her knowledge.

I think they did find that she was contributory negligent as she was essentially stealing from the company but she still received an award.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/dunnes-stores-used-cctv-to-spy-on-staff-suspected-of-eating-at-deli-266228.html

Kind of similar, I queried with the Data office, the legality of my employer installing a tracker on my works van.
The reply was my employer was entitled to track his fleet, but I was entitled to access the info as it related to me.

However, the company installing the devices did tell me that they have installed trackers on other fleets without their employees knowledge!

Klinkhammer

It's unlikely they'll be able to make put what's on your phone on the camera. I'd be more concerned as to why they feel the need to suddenly start monitoring you.

Samuel T. Cogley

Pretty easy-going employer, I'd not rock the boat personally. It's very rare to be allowed to use your phone while at work (in retail).

_Brian

My guess in the legality is if the shop has a sign up warning “everybody” about cctv then they are covered.

It’s different where there is no notice of ccvt, that would be illegal, employees and the public have the right to be informed they are being recorded.

If there is no cctv warning signs in or around the shop then there could be an issue.

jimmycrackcorm

Fann Linn wrote:

Kind of similar, I queried with the Data office, the legality of my employer installing a tracker on my works van. The reply was my employer was entitled to track his fleet, but I was entitled to access the info as it related to me.

In this case its the van being tracked, not the driver. It would be different if for example they were having your company phone on your personal time.

Marcusm

sheesh wrote: »

they perfectly entitled to monitor the cash handling.
you do not have any right to/expectation of privacy while standing at the till.

I would point out that as long as you are not taking money from the business this is a good thing you will be eliminated from suspicion. I would imagine monitoring tills is standard practice in retail these days.

What is absolutely not permitted is to make false statements; that would not be regarded as appropriate in a work place and should be dealt with under a grievance procedure.

sheesh

Marcusm wrote: »

What is absolutely not permitted is to make false statements; that would not be regarded as appropriate in a work place and should be dealt with under a grievance procedure.

An assistant manager could have been told that it was to control the lights. In fact I have heard that phrase before when I was working in a shop.

Now whether he believed it when he was told it is another thing. He could have been told by a manager those new boxes were to control the lights. When asked by a staff member he told them the same thing.

Are you saying the assistant manager lied? /Mod deletion. /

Del2005

Klinkhammer wrote: »

It's unlikely they'll be able to make put what's on your phone on the camera. I'd be more concerned as to why they feel the need to suddenly start monitoring you.

A lot of cameras on tills are connected to the scanner and record what's been scanned onto the video. So they will be able to read the phone as they are designed to stop staff scanning cheap items instead of expensive ones.