READING - Using GPS to Monitor Employees

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has decided that the use of GPS by an employer, KONE and ThyssenKrupp Elevator, to keep track of their employees and company vehicles is allowable under current privacy legislation. KONE was using GPS data from an employer issued cell phone to keep track of employees at 11 minute intervals for safety and billing purposes as well am making sure that employees were taking optimal routes to their calls.

ThyssenKrupp was using GPS data from corporate vehicles to insure that they were being driven in a safe manner. The employees had argued that the employer had no right to use their private data for these purposes.

Employers can be held criminally responsible for the actions of their employees, so there is an incentive to establish a safe driving policy and then monitor it, with the employees knowledge of that monitoring, so that those who fail to follow the policy may be dealt with appropriately.

Reference Links:

• Order P13-01 Kone Corporation
• Order P13-02 ThyssenKrupp
• Corporate Criminal Responsibilty Under the Criminal Code of Canada
• Employee Safe Driving Policy - DriveSmartBC article