Storage of personal data

• Pages: 4-5

Protection of workers’ personal data

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6.10. Polygraphs, truth-verification equipment or any other similar testing

procedure should not be used.

6.11. Personality tests or similar testing procedures should be consistent with the

provisions of this code, provided that the worker may object to the testing.

6.12. Genetic screening should be prohibited or limited to cases explicitly

authorized by national legislation.

6.13. Drug testing should be undertaken only in conformity with national law and

practice or international standards. Examples of ILO guidance include the code of

practice on Management of alcohol- and drug-related issues in the workplace and the

“Guiding principles on drug and alcohol testing in the workplace”.1

6.14. (1) If workers are monitored they should be informed in advance of the

reasons for monitoring, the time schedule, the methods and techniques used and the data

to be collected, and the employer must minimize the intrusion on the privacy of workers.

(2) Secret monitoring should be permitted only:

(a) if it is in conformity with national legislation; or

(b) if there is suspicion on reasonable grounds of criminal activity or other serious

wrongdoing.

(3) Continuous monitoring should be permitted only if required for health

and safety or the protection of property.

7. Security of personal data

7.1. Employers should ensure that personal data are protected by such security

safeguards as are reasonable in the circumstances to guard against loss and unauthorized

access, use, modification or disclosure.

8. Storage of personal data

8.1. The storage of personal data should be limited to data gathered consistent

with the principles on the collection of personal data in this Code.

8.2. Personal data covered by medical confidentiality should be stored only by

personnel bound by rules on medical secrecy and should be maintained apart from all

other personal data.

8.3. Employers should provide general information, regularly reviewed, listing

types of personal data held on individual workers and on the processing of that data.

1 ILO: Management of alcohol- and drug-related issues in the workplace: An ILO

code of practice (Geneva, 1996); “Guiding principles on drug and alcohol testing in the

workplace”, in Drug and alcohol testing in the workplace (Geneva, 1993), as adopted by

the ILO Interregional Tripartite Experts Meeting on Drug and Alcohol Testing in the

Workplace, 10-14 May 1993, Oslo (Hønefoss), Norway (also reproduced as Appendix V

of the above-mentioned code of practice).