Toronto/CMEDIA: It will soon become mandatory for many Ontario companies to disclose to staff whether they’re electronically monitoring their activities.
A new transparency law In April passed in Ontario, the first province as part of the Working for Workers Act, requires companies with 25 or more workers to create a written policy clearly outlining employees’ use of computers, cellphones, GPS systems, and other electronic devices being tracked, and to what extent.
According to the Ministry of Labour, the ministry also says regardless of whether employees work remotely, in an office, or in the field, employers need to disclose the “purpose” of collecting such information.
Effective Oct 12, Ontario employers with 25 or more employees will be mandated to have an electronic monitoring policy and would have 30 days to disclose the information to staff.
It’s part of the Working for Workers Act and makes Ontario the only province in Canada with legislation on employee monitoring. Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia require employers to disclose data collection under privacy laws.
The Ontario legislation applies to all employees using company-issued devices irrespective if the employer is tracking the GPS of a delivery truck driver or the emails of an office worker.
Although earlier employers were not compelled to tell employees whether they were implementing such practices, now they are mandated to let employees know that they’re doing it.
#OntarioCompanies; #EmployeeMonitoring
