date: Wednesday 11 June embargo: immediate

Attention: industrial, business and internet correspondents

code sets out limits on workplace snooping

Commenting on the publication today (Wednesday) of the Monitoring at Work Code of Practice, that advises employers on the legal limits of snooping on staff, Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, said:

'The code clears up much of the legal confusion around bosses monitoring employees. It makes clear to staff that they must be told if, how and why their email, phone calls, internet use and other behaviour is being monitored. Employees and unions are now better equipped to ensure the right to privacy at work is respected.'

Notes to Editors:

The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has published the third part of the Employment Practices Data Protection Code - 'Monitoring at Work'. For more information visit: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force on 1 March 2000, repealing the Data Protection Act 1984. It sets out rules for processing personal information and applies to some paper records as well as those held on computers. Part 3 of the Employers Practices Data Protection Code deals with Monitoring.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Ben Hurley 020 7467 1248 or 07699 744115 (pager) or email media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 11 Jun 2003