Cameras in the Workplace: Employee Rights You Should Follow

The importance of cameras in the workplace can’t be denied, especially with their role in preventing crime, investigating violations, and monitoring suspicious activities. Indoor security cameras in the workplace can help with theft, improper activity, vandalism, assault, productivity, and sexual harassment.

However, business owners or HR decision-makers must know how to implement security cameras without infringing on employee rights. In this blog, we’ll discuss the regulations surrounding cameras in the workplace, Ontario laws regarding surveillance, and other information on employee monitoring you need to know.

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Cameras in the Workplace: Ontario Laws Considerations

When it comes to cameras in the workplace, employee rights, and privacy laws, businesses must consider three main factors before installing indoor security cameras.

1.  Intention and Reasoning to Install Security Cameras

This is the first factor to consider when installing security cameras without infringing on employee rights. A business must have a good reason for installing surveillance. Simply wanting to monitor employee behaviour isn’t a valid reason. If theft or vandalism occurred, that would be a valid reason to install cameras. Businesses must have a solid reason for installing cameras.

2.  Location of the Security Cameras

Once it has been decided security cameras will be installed, businesses must align with employee rights by only installing them in places where employees don’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For example, employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy in locker rooms, employee lounges, and washrooms. Employees don’t expect privacy in public areas, such as reception rooms, entryways, and customer service rooms.

This also means a business can’t install a camera that directly targets one employer over others. The cameras must be installed in public areas where anyone in the vicinity could be monitored. 

Once the cameras have been installed, they should be paired with obvious signage. 

These signs should clearly outline which area is being monitored. In Canada, these signs should be in both official languages, English and French.

3.  Attempt at Less Intrusive Alternatives

Before installing surveillance, it’s important that a business first tries to implement other, less intrusive, alternatives. These could be key cards to access certain rooms, identity badges to carry around, loss prevention technology, and more. 

This shows that the business focuses more on productivity and crime deterrence than individual employee behaviour. It also shows a reasonable route toward installing cameras.

Cameras in the Workplace: Employee Rights Canada

While cameras in the workplace might be advantageous to a business, it’s important to approach it with context and knowledge, so employee rights in Canada are upheld. 

Can an Employer Record Audio at the Workplace in Canada?

If video surveillance in the workplace is acceptable, so long as the above factors are considered, what about audio recording? This is a strict no. It’s a criminal offence in Canada to record video with audio and private conversations without consent in the workplace.

Can Employers Watch You on Camera in Canada?

Suppose the security cameras are installed in public areas with no reasonable expectation of privacy and proper signage to identify the cameras. In that case, private sector organizations can only use captured video for its intended purposes. This means if the cameras were installed to capture or deter thieves, the footage could be used to identify the thief.