Legal Protection of Employee Privacy in the Workplace

Abstract

Recent years have been the years of crucial changes and transformations in all spheres of life, including the labor sphere. The introduction of the latest technologies at various types of enterprises has given rise to a number of concerns regarding the legal protection of employee privacy in the workplace. Moreover, questions continue to arise as to the balance between the legitimate interests of employers in protecting trade secrets and the limits of collecting and processing personal data in the course of monitoring employees’ work activities. This is the reason for the relevance of this study. In view of the preceding, the purpose of this research is to analyze the legal framework in terms of ensuring the inviolability of personal life and privacy in the world and in Ukraine, to determine the impact of modern technologies on this area and the growth of employee monitoring, and to provide a detailed description of the reasons for monitoring employees’ activities by the employer. Moreover, it is advisable to analyze the legal framework for privacy in the workplace and to propose a balance between the interests of employers and employees. The scientific research was conducted in accordance with the purpose and using such methods as the general philosophical method, the method of system analysis, synthesis, dialectical method, formal legal method, deduction, and induction. The conclusions and proposals for finding a balance between the interests of employers and employees in terms of ensuring privacy and confidentiality in the workplace will be used in the future to improve legislation in general.