Employer filmed me at work

[Karting1967]

One of the directors sent me a message on WhatsApp saying "what are you still doing at work" and "we can see you". I didn't know we had any form of CCTV, there's no signs anywhere and certainly we've never been issued with a policy saying we might be filmed.

A quick look at the ACAS website says:

"Covert monitoring

It's very rare that employers would need to carry out monitoring in secret without the staff being told they are being monitored. Employers must have a genuine reason to carry out covert monitoring such as criminal activities or malpractice. Monitoring must be obtained as quickly as possible, and only as part of a specific investigation. The monitoring must stop when the investigation has finished."

What would you make of this? I'm wondering how often I've been watched previously...

Can they definitely really “see” you are can they “see” that you are active on the company computer network?

My DH can “see” when his team are logged on and active whether they are in the office, on the train or at home.

*Can they definitely really “see” you OR can they “see” that you are active on the company computer network?

Yeah are you sure they don't mean they can see you signed in to Lync or something similar?

I would just ask them how they could see you? Then decide from there what I wanted to do but tbh being on cctvin a workplace doesnt bother me.

Sorry should have added they sent a pic from the CCTV film with the message

Have you read all of your terms and conditions or staff handbook? I’d ask your manager or HR in the morning for the policy on CCTV.

Is there any reason it would be inappropriate for you to be at work after hours? Things like sensitive information or theft risks for stock?

There’s no stock on site and no information that I couldn’t get access to at any other time, including from home. I think he thought it was a joke but a few of his jokes have, imo, been passed of as ‘banter’ when I don’t really find them funny or appropriate. There’s never been any question of my reliability, honesty or integrity or so I thought.

A similar situation happened in my office. Open plan office with 9 staff. One went off 'sick' and while he was off we discovered a webcam had been set up covertly. I unplugged it and reported to management who did absolutely fuck all about it. He sneaked in early one day and the camera disappeared. No explanation, no apology, and a massive sweep under the carpet - right to the top of the chain. Apparently it's not illegal to put up camera. I call it a massive breach of security due to where we work, never mind an absolute invasion of personal privacy, but I'm just supposed to suck it up.

It doesn't sound like covert monitoring though. It's CCTV that everyone would be on when they are in, they are not targeting you with it. From what you've said here, I don't see why you are taking it as a question of your reliability?

Management set up cameras at our desks at my old job, it was the icing on the cake with the complete lack of trust that they showed for me and my co workers so I handed my notice in!

Why did they feel the need to log in from home then to look at what was happening in the office?

That's really weird and slightly creepy.

I don't really get their motivation in doing this, of it's a joke it's a crap one.

Forward your boss the bit from the Acas website that you’ve just showed us and see what he says.

There’s is lots of guidance on CCTV being in used in organisations on the ICO website.

In a nutshell, there should be a policy and the CCTV is normally in place to monitor or record the activities of individuals, or both, mainly for security and safety reasons.

There should be a clear policy on it.

Ours is under a generic Security Policy which includes lone working, travelling, right to search etc.

There’s nothing on the subject in the staff handbook, I’ve checked.

what are you still doing at work

Are you there outside of your contracted/expected hours because if so and they have nighttime security, which involves cctv, I don’t think that’s unreasonable to not have a workplace policy about.

Feeling angry now! How was sending that message on a WhatsApp group chat appropriate?

Not all policies will be in a Staff Handbook. There may be separate policies. Our handbook is a generic top line sentence on all matter of things like CCTV use, training, maternity leave etc, but then there is a more detailed policy behind it.

It might also be referred to in your terms and conditions / contract.

If it’s overt monitoring with cctv, they need signs up to make sure everyone is aware. It’s a Gdpr requirement.

It’s not referred to anywhere. We are a small new-ish company of 9 people. I find it weird how the message was communicated. “We can see you” - implies the 3 directors (who were in the group chat the message was sent to) were logged on together somewhere. (They often go for a drink or meeting after work.) We had just had a team meeting all day, why not mention them about a new policy?

It is a bit weird and I would not be happy about this at all

Is it perhaps that they knew the alarm system hadn't been set so were checking through all the offices to see that everything was okay? I've operated a similar system in the past with an old employer. Keyholders also had access to the monitored alarm system, we could set the alarm remotely after the doors had locked etc which included a sweep through via the CCTV cameras. The cameras only worked after hours though.

There’s no alarm system. It’s a multi-tenanted building in which we lease one room.

Obviously I don't know the people involved but I can imagine it was a not very good attempt at being funny.

If they looked at the camera for some reason not connected with you and noticed you were still there I can quite see how they'd think it was a lighthearted joke.

Whether there needs to be a policy about the CCTV is in imo a separate issue.

They could have sent a similar message if they'd walked past and taken a photo of you still in the office, I don't think the message itself is necessarily anything bad.