Phase
-Law 4808/2021 (Official Government Gazette A’ 101/19.06.2021), "For Labour Protection - Establishment of an Independent Authority 'Labour Inspection' - Ratification of Convention 190 of the International Labour Organization on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work - Ratification of Convention 187 of the International Labour Organization on the Framework for the Promotion of Safety and Health at Work - Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the balance between professional and private life, other provisions of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and other urgent regulations", as amended by Law 5053/2023 (Official Government Gazette A' 158/26.09.2023), "To strengthen work - Integration of Directive (EU) 2019/1152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 - Simplification of digital processes and strengthening of the Work Card - Upgrading the operational function of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Labour Inspectorate"
Native name
-Νόμος 4808/2021 (ΦΕΚ Α' 101/19.06.2021), "Για την Προστασία της Εργασίας - Σύσταση Ανεξάρτητης Αρχής «Επιθεώρηση Εργασίας» - Κύρωση της Σύμβασης 190 της Διεθνούς Οργάνωσης Εργασίας για την εξάλειψη της βίας και παρενόχλησης στον κόσμο της εργασίας - Κύρωση της Σύμβασης 187 της Διεθνούς Οργάνωσης Εργασίας για τo Πλαίσιο Προώθησης της Ασφάλειας και της Υγείας στην Εργασία - Ενσωμάτωση της Οδηγίας (ΕΕ) 2019/1158 του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και του Συμβουλίου της 20ής Ιουνίου 2019 για την ισορροπία μεταξύ της επαγγελματικής και της ιδιωτικής ζωής, άλλες διατάξεις του Υπουργείου Εργασίας και Κοινωνικών Υποθέσεων και λοιπές επείγουσες ρυθμίσεις", όπως τροποποιήθηκε από το Νόμο 5053/2023 (ΦΕΚ Α' 158.09.2023), "Για την ενίσχυση της εργασίας - Ενσωμάτωση της Οδηγίας (ΕΕ) 2019/1152 του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και του Συμβουλίου της 20ής Ιουνίου 2019 - Απλοποίηση ψηφιακών διαδικασιών και ενίσχυση της Κάρτας Εργασίας - Αναβάθμιση της επιχειρησιακής λειτουργίας του Υπουργείου Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης και της Επιθεώρησης Εργασίας"
Type
Employee monitoring and surveillance
Added to database
25 October 2023

Article

-Law 4808/2021, Chapter B: 'Contemporary Types of Work', Article 67, para 8: 'Provisions on Telework', Chapter C: 'Provisions related to the “Ergani II” Information System', Article 73: 'Purpose and Operation', Article 74: 'Digital Employment Card'


Description

By virtue of art. 67, para 8, Law 4808/2021: * The employer monitors the employee's performance in a manner that respects his privacy and is in line with the protection of personal data. Employers are explicitly prohibited from monitoring the performance of teleworkers with the use of webcams. By virtue of articles 73 & 74: * Employers are obliged to install and operate an electronic system, for the monitoring of their employees’ working time, directly connected and inter-operable to the “ERGANI II” Digital Information platform (Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs). Additionally, the new Law introduces the “digital employment card”, which provides, in real-time, data to the “ERGANI II” platform such as, starting and ending working time, breaks, overtime and any type of leave.

On 4 August, 2021 the Greek Data Protection Authority (DPA) issued its Guidelines 1/2021 on the protection of personal data in the context of teleworking; the teleworkers' monitoring is of pivotal importance for the Authority. The DPA recognises the right of the employer, as long as the conditions deriving from the legislation are met in principle, to monitor whether employees provide their work within the agreed working hours, and in line with the terms of employment. It considers, also, legitimate for the data controller to request additional confirmation (authentication) from the ICT user-teleworker (PC, communication software - electronic mail) - assuming that they actually provide the agreed work and keep the relevant information.

On the other hand, the DPA has judged with a series of decisions that, the ongoing surveillance of employees by means of web cams, software recognising images and movements, the shared use of the employees’ screen, the installation and operation of a Keylogger, or even the performance of certain activities on a regular basis for ascertaining that the employees are teleworking, are prohibited practices, because they lead to an unjustified profiling of employees and violate the proportionality principle. In addition to the prohibitions set in relation to the use of a camera (web cam) to control the performance of the employee, the controller in the context of their responsibility should take into account that the processing of data through closed-circuit visual recording within workplaces, whether publicly accessible or not, is permitted only if it is necessary for the protection of persons and property. Data collected through closed-circuit visual recording may not be used as a criterion for evaluating employees' efficiency. In addition, the legality of taking any such relevant measure, that constitutes processing of personal data, presupposes the prior notification of the data subject.


Commentary

One of the most important regulations in Law 4808/2021 is that, for the first time, the 'right to disconnect' is regulated, which essentially consists in the self-evident observance of the schedule. It is defined as the right of the teleworker to abstain completely from the provision of his work and, in particular, not to communicate digitally and not to respond to phone calls, emails or any form of communication outside of working hours and during his legal holidays.

Unfavourable discrimination of the teleworker due to the exercise of the right to disconnection is not allowed. The employer must identify technical and organizational means to satisfy the right to disconnection. These means are recorded in an individual or collective agreement or disclosed by the employer to all employees. In addition, the Greek Data Protection Authority (DPA) responding, in a timely manner, to the extensive remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic, the issuance of Law 4808/2021 that, among others, regulates telework, and the risks lurking for employees’ privacy through the use of information and communication technologies, issued its Guidelines 1/2021 on the protection of personal data in the context of teleworking; the employers' right to control their employees' performance, without circumventing the employees' individual and labour rights, is of pivotal importance to DPA and, as such, is extensively analysed.

It remains to be seen how it will be possible to exercise control -monitoring and surveillance of the employees' performance, without violating personal data requirements.


Additional metadata

Cost covered by
None
Involved actors other than national government
Trade union Other Works council National government
Involvement (others)
Labour Inspectorate, Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy, Hellenic Data Protection Authority
Thresholds
Affected employees: No, applicable in all circumstances
Company size: No, applicable in all circumstances
Additional information: No, applicable in all circumstances

Citation

Eurofound (2023), Greece: Employee monitoring and surveillance, Restructuring legislation database, Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/legislationdb/employee-monitoring-and-surveillance/greece

Download as PDF