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H&M Hit With €35 Million Fine for Monitoring Employees
Company Fined for Extensive Staff Surveys, Health Data Collection
On October 1st, 2020, the Hamburg Data Protection Authority (DPA) announced a massive €353 million fine against the clothing company H&M Hennes & Mauritz.
The fine stems from an investigation into H&M's surveillance of its employees at its Nuremberg service center. The investigation found that H&M had conducted extensive staff surveys that included details of employees' holidays, medical symptoms, and diagnoses for illnesses.
The DPA found that H&M's data collection was illegal and violated the employees' privacy rights. The company has since apologized for its actions and has taken steps to improve its data protection practices.
Key Findings of the Investigation
- H&M conducted extensive staff surveys that included details of employees' holidays, medical symptoms, and diagnoses for illnesses.
- The data collection was illegal and violated the employees' privacy rights.
- H&M has apologized for its actions and has taken steps to improve its data protection practices.
Implications for Businesses
The H&M case is a reminder that businesses need to be careful about how they collect and use employee data.
Businesses should have a clear data protection policy in place that outlines what data is collected, how it is used, and who has access to it.
Businesses should also obtain consent from employees before collecting any personal data.
Additional Resources