When most people think of security cameras and who they are looking at they think of the burglar or unauthorized person who enters or attempts to enter a building. In many cases it is not only the unknown that is being looked at but also the known; many companies will use the systems to keep a careful and watchful eye over their employees. Cameras can be positioned in areas which would be considered vulnerable to catch anyone who is an area or doing something that is not allowed.

It is considered a necessity to have cameras in some institutions and buildings to monitor the staff, places such as banks, government buildings, hi-tech industries and testing facilities would be common place and the employees would expect the cameras to be in the buildings. It is however very important that the employer is careful about where and how they monitor the staff, if the methods that are undertaken are deemed intrusive then the employer could find themselves in court. There are of course lots of very good reasons as to why the employer would want to install hidden security cameras to monitor employees; however it is now believed that the privacy of employees in the workplace is becoming intruded upon more and more often.

There are a number of main issues that arise in cases against the employer for misuse of hidden security cameras and these include any form of monitoring in private areas such as bathrooms and changing rooms. Another common problem is for personal information that is gathered from the camera systems when an employee is captured on them being used for commercial purposes. It is also illegal for any form of security camera system in the workplace to be used for audio and visual purposes, it is not allowed to record verbal/audio in the surveillance. A good employer will be aware of the legislation and laws surrounding hidden camera use and will abide by these guidelines, as an employee it is worth making yourself aware of the laws as well.

If you are an employer and considering the installation of a hidden security camera system then there are some guidelines to follow to ensure that you keep on the right side of the law. It is imperative that all the employees are consulted before hand in writing about what you are installing and why, this letter should include a waiver to sign so they acknowledge that they have been told. It needs to be carefully laid out with the cameras in locations that would not be considered intrusive and breaking the guidelines, whilst all management should be aware of the privacy risks and briefed on the layout of the systems. A set of guidelines should be drawn out for every employee outlining the privacy policy and the rights that the employees have in respect of their privacy, whilst providing the case and reasons for the installation.