Surveillance device technologies have become increasingly common in the workplace and can be used for fraud prevention, protecting the health and safety of employees, preventing property theft and monitoring employee performance.
While workplace surveillance can be a useful tool, care needs to be exercised to ensure it is done legally and appropriately.
Importantly, whilst there is no specific workplace surveillance legislation in Queensland, employers must comply with legislative restrictions prescribed in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 Qld and the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (Cth).
The Queensland Law Reform Commission are in the process of considering surveillance in the workplace and will be delivering their findings and recommendations on the issue. This report, which is expected to be published on 30 April 2021, will likely lead to the introduction of workplace surveillance laws in Queensland.
To ensure you are appropriately managing this issue and are prepared for future changes, employers should take the opportunity to review their surveillance procedures and policies.
For further information regarding using surveillance devices in the workplace, contact us on 1300 068 736.
