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Hidden camera in the canteen.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Thought there was something dodgy about the smoke alarm in the canteen today, had a closer look and there's a camera inside. What's the legality of having a hidden camera at work? I honestly feel like going to the Gardaí.

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deco nate

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

Thought there was something dodgy about the smoke alarm in the canteen today, had a closer look and there's a camera inside. What's the legality of having a hidden camera at work? I honestly feel like going to the Gardaí.

the business is required by law to have a sign up.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

deco nate wrote: »

the business is required by law to have a sign up.

There's no sign. The camera is hidden inside a smoke detector. It's not even like the camera is on display.

deco nate

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

There's no sign. The camera is hidden inside a smoke detector. It's not even like the camera is on display.

I know the type you're on about, it's illegal,. You can tell them so, or report them. But to whom I don't know who takes care of these things

rawn

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

There's no sign. The camera is hidden inside a smoke detector. It's not even like the camera is on display.

Well now they know that you know!

It's illegal if staff are unaware of it, wasn't there a case against Dunnes Stores recently where they caught a worker on camera eating deli food on the job and fired her, she sued and won because they never informed staff they were being recorded? I would talk to them, and ask them straight out why there is a hidden camera rather than going straight to the Gardaí. But I would take as many clear pictures of it as possible before hand.

crazygeryy

Why dont you act dumb and just ask your boss why is that Camera there?does it record sound as well?
Surely he cant fire you for asking questions.especially if its illegal.

mass_debater

The vast majority of work places have cameras everywhere and log all door entries and exits. You're being recorded at all times in every factory and shop in the country. All they need is a single sign that says premises monitored and they're covered.

2RockMountain

mass_debater wrote: »

The vast majority of work places have cameras everywhere and log all door entries and exits. You're being recorded at all times in every factory and shop in the country. All they need is a single sign that says premises monitored and they're covered.

You're way off the mark. A single sign does not override the requirements of data protection legislation:

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

From that page:

Other uses may fail the test of proportionality. For example, using a CCTV system to constantly monitor employees is highly intrusive and would need to be justified by reference to special circumstances. If the monitoring is for health and safety reasons, a data controller would need to demonstrate that the installation of CCTV was proportionate in addressing health and safety issues that had arisen prior to the installation of the system.

gordongekko

Once its not in the loos i dont see the problem. If youre not doing anything wrong youve nothing to worry about. I know all i do in our canteen is eat.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

gordongekko wrote: »

Once its not in the loos i dont see the problem. If youre not doing anything wrong youve nothing to worry about. I know all i do in our canteen is eat.

Normally I wouldn't mind. BUT... There has been an issue with this company before firing people instead of giving redundancy for things that happened and were captured on hidden cameras. I can't say too much.

Can a mod please move this thread to legal issues please?

Renegade Mechanic

gordongekko wrote: »

Once its not in the loos i dont see the problem. If youre not doing anything wrong youve nothing to worry about. I know all i do in our canteen is eat.

Yeah no. All we did in our canteen was "blow off steam" between bites, for want of a better term

If there was a camera in any canteen where I worked, I'd just eat in the car. Not worth the potential drama..

2RockMountain

gordongekko wrote: »

I know all i do in our canteen is eat.

Do you ever talk to work mates about work issues? Do you ever express a political opinion, or a social opinion?

BreadnBuddha

The very fact that the camera is hidden is enough to tell you it's not there for normal surveillance purposes.

I'm all in favour of extensive CCTV use in business premises, but this is a black and white breach of the Data Protection Act.

Do not approach your employer directly. Contact the Data Protection Commissioner tomorrow morning and ask what is required to enable them investigate a complaint:

Data Protection Commissioner
Canal House
Station Road
Portarlington
Laois
Ireland
Opening Hours:09:15-17:30
Tel:+353 57 868 4800
Locall:1890 252231
Fax:+353 57 868 4757
Homepage: http://www.dataprotection.ie
Email: info@dataprotection.ie

They will advise you on how to proceed, in terms of whether it should be reported to the Gardai initially, etc.

That last bit might seem like an over-reaction, but the fool who installs hidden cameras in a canteen could just as foolishly put them into staff changing areas and so on.

Don't delay.

[Deleted User]

Is the canteen run by your employer? Or is it a privately run canteen?

If it is a privately run canteen it may not be illegal imo.

gordongekko

2RockMountain wrote: »

Do you ever talk to work mates about work issues? Do you ever express a political opinion, or a social opinion?

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Is the canteen run by your employer? Or is it a privately run canteen?

If it is a privately run canteen it may not be illegal imo.

Employers canteen yes. They have done this years ago to catch people smoking etc and fired them on the spot rather than pay redundancy. They're looking to fire people again imo. It's not they type of place you could steal things either so it's not for that. Can't be a health and safety issue either...surely? It's extremely suspicious.

[Deleted User]

The Hunky Monster wrote:

Employers canteen yes. They have done this years ago to catch people smoking etc and fired them on the spot rather than pay redundancy. They're looking to fire people again imo. It's not they type of place you could steal things either so it's not for that. Can't be a health and safety issue either...surely? It's extremely suspicious.

I thought it might be an outside catering company rather than the kitchen staff actually being employed by your boss.

If it is an outside catering company and they put it up rather than your boss then you are a customer rather than an employee, again, IMO

The Moldy Gowl

Don't forget they have your head up around sniffing at it.

Stheno

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

Employers canteen yes. They have done this years ago to catch people smoking etc and fired them on the spot rather than pay redundancy. They're looking to fire people again imo. It's not they type of place you could steal things either so it's not for that. Can't be a health and safety issue either...surely? It's extremely suspicious.

How did you know it was there in the past?

[Deleted User]

Btw those cameras have audio but its not necessarily wired for sound

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Stheno wrote: »

How did you know it was there in the past?

There was a camera placed there for a week a number of years ago to catch employees smoking in the canteen. It was put up with that purpose and some people were fired. We're wondering why it's there again...

Stheno

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

There was a camera placed there for a week a number of years ago to catch employees smoking in the canteen. It was put up with that purpose and some people were fired. We're wondering why it's there again...

How did you know it was there? I'm wondering if there was a precedent set due to that.

Shannon757

The Moldy Gowl wrote: »

Don't forget they have your head up around sniffing at it.

Such an appropriate avatar.

The Moldy Gowl

Shannon757 wrote: »

Such an appropriate avatar.

Hidden cameras at the business factory?

It must be bojack trying to catch me out being 3 small children standing on eachothers shoulders

j.s. pill II

Very pertinent article in the Irish Independent this morning!

livedadream

Bageaux Cannes wrote: »

There was a camera placed there for a week a number of years ago to catch employees smoking in the canteen. It was put up with that purpose and some people were fired. We're wondering why it's there again...

smoking inside a workplace in Ireland has been illegal for over 12 years...

of course they were sacked...

testicles

This post has been deleted.

Pawwed Rig

gordongekko wrote: »

Once its not in the loos i dont see the problem. If youre not doing anything wrong youve nothing to worry about. I know all i do in our canteen is eat.

This again.

Would you object to a camera in your house?
If you're doing nothing wrong then nothing to worry about right?

Mrs OBumble

testicles wrote: »

Cameras, even overt ones, in staff canteens are in breach of the Data Protection Acts.

Not necessarily.

If goods are being sold to staff, then they may be a very proportionate way to manage dishonesty allegations.

2RockMountain

gordongekko wrote: »

No

But you understand that many people do discuss work matters, or personal matters, or political matters, or social matters with workmates in the canteen - right?

TOEJOE

Listen to Sean O Rourke this morning, interesting talking to the Data Protection Officer on this issue.