Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Kontroll i arbetslivet – Om arbetsgivares rätt att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av teknisk arbetsutrustning i förhållande till arbetstagares rätt till privat- och familjeliv

Olnäs, Alicia LU (2022) JURM02 20222
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Den tekniska utvecklingen under de senaste decennierna medför att allt fler metoder för att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av teknisk arbetsutrustning (såsom persondatorer och mobiltelefoner) står till arbetsgivares förfogande. Samtidigt innebär ändrade arbetsformer efter covid-19-pandemin att arbetsgivares behov av sådan kontroll har ökat. Uppsatsens syfte är därför att undersöka privata arbetsgivares möjligheter att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av arbetsgivarens tekniska arbetsutrustning i relation till arbetstagarnas rätt till privat- och familjeliv. För att uppfylla syftet undersöks dels fri- och rättighetsskyddet i 2 kap. regeringsformen, Europakonventionen och EU-stadgan, dels arbetsrättens regleringsinstrument som... (More)
Den tekniska utvecklingen under de senaste decennierna medför att allt fler metoder för att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av teknisk arbetsutrustning (såsom persondatorer och mobiltelefoner) står till arbetsgivares förfogande. Samtidigt innebär ändrade arbetsformer efter covid-19-pandemin att arbetsgivares behov av sådan kontroll har ökat. Uppsatsens syfte är därför att undersöka privata arbetsgivares möjligheter att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av arbetsgivarens tekniska arbetsutrustning i relation till arbetstagarnas rätt till privat- och familjeliv. För att uppfylla syftet undersöks dels fri- och rättighetsskyddet i 2 kap. regeringsformen, Europakonventionen och EU-stadgan, dels arbetsrättens regleringsinstrument som består av arbetsgivares arbetsledningsrätt, kollektivavtal och individuella avtal. I uppsatsen används en rättsdogmatisk och EU-rättslig metod.

Undersökningen visar sammanfattningsvis att privata arbetsgivare kan ha en rätt att kontrollera sina arbetstagares användning av teknisk arbetsutrustning med stöd av reglering i kollektivavtal eller individuella avtal. Vid avsaknad av ett sådant avtal kan arbetsgivare ändå ha en rätt att vidta en kontroll av den tekniska arbetsutrustningen i kraft av sin arbetsledningsrätt. Arbetsgivares avtalsfrihet och arbetsledningsrätt stärks i viss mån av arbetsgivares äganderätt och näringsfrihet. Dessa fri- och rättigheter utgör dock inte en självständig grund för att vidta sådana kontroller.

Oavsett den rättsliga grunden för arbetsgivares kontroll avgörs gränserna för arbetsgivares handlingsutrymme av att kontrollen inte får strida mot god sed på arbetsmarknaden. För att avgöra om en arbetsgivares kontroll strider mot god sed görs en avvägning mellan arbetsgivarens intresse av att genomföra kontrollen och arbetstagarens intresse av skydd för sin personliga integritet. Vid denna avvägning har svenska domstolar en positiv skyldighet enligt artikel 8 i Europakonventionen att pröva arbetstagarens rätt till privat- och familjeliv enligt ett antal principer som har upprättats i Europadomstolens praxis. Intrånget i arbetstagarens personliga integritet ska stå i rimlig proportion till det intresse arbetsgivaren vill tillgodose. Om så är fallet är kontrollen tillåten och arbetstagarens vägran att genomgå den kan då utgöra skäl för att skilja arbetstagaren från sin anställning.

Uppsatsen ämnar vidare utreda behovet av ny eller kompletterande lagstiftning till skydd av arbetstagares integritet vid kontrollåtgärder i ljuset av den tekniska utvecklingen och en ökad mängd distansarbete. I korta ordalag innebär regleringens svåröverskådlighet samt arbetsgivares tolkningsföreträde att skyddet av arbetstagares rätt till privat- och familjeliv inte får fullt genomslag i praktiken. Det finns därför behov av en ny lag om kontroll och integritetsskydd i arbetslivet. Denna lag bör tydliggöra vilka kriterier som ska beaktas i intresseavvägningen samt möjliggöra att arbetstagare kan motsätta sig integritetskränkande kontroller utan att riskera uppsägning eller avsked. (Less)
Abstract
The technological development over the last decades means that an increasing number of methods for control of employees’ use of technical work equipment (including personal computers and cell phones) are available to employers. At the same time, changed forms of work after the COVID-19 pandemic have increased employers’ need for such controls. The purpose of this essay is thus to examine private employers’ ability to control employees’ use of the employer’s technical work equipment in relation to the employees’ right to private and family life. To fulfil this purpose, the essay explores on the one hand the protection of rights and freedoms in Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the... (More)
The technological development over the last decades means that an increasing number of methods for control of employees’ use of technical work equipment (including personal computers and cell phones) are available to employers. At the same time, changed forms of work after the COVID-19 pandemic have increased employers’ need for such controls. The purpose of this essay is thus to examine private employers’ ability to control employees’ use of the employer’s technical work equipment in relation to the employees’ right to private and family life. To fulfil this purpose, the essay explores on the one hand the protection of rights and freedoms in Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. On the other hand, the essay examines other aspects of Swedish labour law, including employers’ right to manage and organize the work, collective agreements, and individual contracts. A legal dogmatic method and an EU legal method are used in the essay.

In summary, the analysis shows that private employers may stipulate a right to control employees’ use of technical work equipment in collective agreements or individual contracts. In the absence of any agreements, an employer may instead have such a right by virtue of the employer’s right to manage and organize the work. Employers’ freedom of contract and right to manage and organize the work is somewhat strengthened by employers’ right to property and freedom to conduct a business. However, these rights and freedoms do not constitute a legal basis to carry out control measures.

Regardless of the legal basis for an employer’s control, the employer must ascertain that such measures are carried out in conformity with good labour market practice. To assess whether a control measure meets the standards of good practice, the employer’s interest in using the measure in question is balanced against the employee’s interest in protecting their integrity. By the Swedish state’s positive obligations under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the domestic courts are required to carry out the balancing exercise between these competing interests in accordance with the principles established in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The intrusion into the employee’s privacy must be proportionate to the aim pursued by the employer. If this is the case, the control measure is permitted and an employee’s refusal to comply with the measure may constitute grounds for termination or dismissal.

Furthermore, this essay aims to consider the need for new or supplementary legislation for the protection of employees’ privacy during control measures in light of technological developments and an increasing amount of telework. In short, the current regulation’s complexity and employers’ preferential right of interpretation means that employees’ right to private and family life is not fully respected in practice. Thus, there is a need for a new law regarding control measures and the protection of privacy in the employment context. This law should clarify the criteria that must be considered in the balancing exercise and enable employees to refuse to comply with control measures that breach the employees’ privacy without risking termination or dismissal. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Olnäs, Alicia LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Employee Monitoring – Employers’ right to control employees’ use of technical work equipment in relation to employees’ right to respect for private and family life
course
JURM02 20222
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
arbetsrätt, EU-rätt, folkrätt, statsrätt, Europakonventionen, rättighetsstadgan, rätten till privat- och familjeliv, näringsfrihet, äganderätt, arbetsgivare, arbetstagare, integritet, kontroll, övervakning.
language
Swedish
id
9104933
date added to LUP
2023-01-24 09:16:47
date last changed
2023-01-24 09:16:47
@misc{9104933,
  abstract     = {{The technological development over the last decades means that an increasing number of methods for control of employees’ use of technical work equipment (including personal computers and cell phones) are available to employers. At the same time, changed forms of work after the COVID-19 pandemic have increased employers’ need for such controls. The purpose of this essay is thus to examine private employers’ ability to control employees’ use of the employer’s technical work equipment in relation to the employees’ right to private and family life. To fulfil this purpose, the essay explores on the one hand the protection of rights and freedoms in Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. On the other hand, the essay examines other aspects of Swedish labour law, including employers’ right to manage and organize the work, collective agreements, and individual contracts. A legal dogmatic method and an EU legal method are used in the essay.

In summary, the analysis shows that private employers may stipulate a right to control employees’ use of technical work equipment in collective agreements or individual contracts. In the absence of any agreements, an employer may instead have such a right by virtue of the employer’s right to manage and organize the work. Employers’ freedom of contract and right to manage and organize the work is somewhat strengthened by employers’ right to property and freedom to conduct a business. However, these rights and freedoms do not constitute a legal basis to carry out control measures.

Regardless of the legal basis for an employer’s control, the employer must ascertain that such measures are carried out in conformity with good labour market practice. To assess whether a control measure meets the standards of good practice, the employer’s interest in using the measure in question is balanced against the employee’s interest in protecting their integrity. By the Swedish state’s positive obligations under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the domestic courts are required to carry out the balancing exercise between these competing interests in accordance with the principles established in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The intrusion into the employee’s privacy must be proportionate to the aim pursued by the employer. If this is the case, the control measure is permitted and an employee’s refusal to comply with the measure may constitute grounds for termination or dismissal.

Furthermore, this essay aims to consider the need for new or supplementary legislation for the protection of employees’ privacy during control measures in light of technological developments and an increasing amount of telework. In short, the current regulation’s complexity and employers’ preferential right of interpretation means that employees’ right to private and family life is not fully respected in practice. Thus, there is a need for a new law regarding control measures and the protection of privacy in the employment context. This law should clarify the criteria that must be considered in the balancing exercise and enable employees to refuse to comply with control measures that breach the employees’ privacy without risking termination or dismissal.}},
  author       = {{Olnäs, Alicia}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Kontroll i arbetslivet – Om arbetsgivares rätt att kontrollera arbetstagares användning av teknisk arbetsutrustning i förhållande till arbetstagares rätt till privat- och familjeliv}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}