GPS and worker monitoring in Sweden: what you need to stay compliant

What you need

For each obligation we tell you whether it applies in this country: Yes means required, It depends means only in certain cases, No means not required.

• Prior union negotiation (MBL s 11) before introducing the system

  It dependsonly in certain cases

  An employer bound by a collective agreement must, on its own initiative, negotiate with the union before a major change (such as introducing a monitoring or GPS system). This applies where the employer is bound by a collective agreement.

  Lag 1976:580 om medbestammande i arbetslivet (MBL), § 11

• Prior authorisation from an authority before installing

  Nonot required

  There is no prior-authorisation regime by the IMY for GPS on employees; accountability applies (the employer documents the legal basis and balancing test itself).

  IMY, controllo e sorveglianza dei dipendenti

• Basis = balancing of interests (not consent) + clear information to workers

  Yesrequired

  The legal basis is normally the balancing of interests, not the employee consent (relationship of dependence); workers must be informed clearly, at the latest when the data is collected.

  IMY, controllo e sorveglianza dei dipendenti

• GPS only for a concrete operational need; no unjustified real-time surveillance, no reuse to assess performance

  Yesrequired

  Location tracking is allowed if justified by a concrete business need; not to monitor in real time without reason, and data collected for another purpose (e.g. a driving log) cannot be reused to analyse performance.

  IMY, come usare i servizi di localizzazione (GPS) sui dipendenti

• Impact assessment for systematic monitoring of employees

  Yesrequired

  An impact assessment is needed when the processing involves systematic monitoring of employees and a high risk to their rights is likely.

  IMY, quando svolgere una valutazione d'impatto

The procedure, step by step

1. 1

   If bound by a collective agreement, negotiate with the union before introducing the system (MBL s 11).

2. 2

   Document the legal basis (balancing of interests) and the related test.

3. 3

   Inform workers clearly, at the latest when the data is collected.

4. 4

   Carry out the impact assessment if the monitoring is systematic.

5. 5

   Configure the system: only a concrete operational need, no reuse to assess performance.

6. 6

   If you switch systems: when you change your monitoring system or software, update and re-issue the privacy notice, and check whether the national agreement or authorisation for remote monitoring needs renewing. The provider (data processor), the data collected and the methods often change: the one provided earlier is not enough.

Who to contact

What you risk

Sources

• Lag 1976:580 om medbestammande i arbetslivet (MBL), § 11
• IMY, controllo e sorveglianza dei dipendenti
• IMY, come usare i servizi di localizzazione (GPS) sui dipendenti
• IMY, quando svolgere una valutazione d'impatto
• IMY, presentare un reclamo
• IMY, sanzione al Comune di Skelleftea (riconoscimento facciale per le presenze)
• Regolamento UE 2016/679 (GDPR)