Fury over roll-out of biometric testing for hotel staff

independent.ie | August 27, 2007

THE national privacy watchdog has expressed concern at the growth in 'Big Brother'-style clock-in systems that read workers' physical data after another hi-tech attendance procedure was launched at a major hotel.

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes issued his warning after it emerged that the Gresham Hotel in Dublin is the latest employer to introduce a 'biometric' system. Workers claim they were not consulted about the introduction of the system that reads handprints.

It was brought in just months after the Abbey Theatre came under fire for launching a system that reads fingerprints.

The Data Protection Commissioner said he was "concerned" about the growing use of biometric systems in the workplace "regardless of the type of biometric information collected or the technology used".

And the hotel's SIPTU branch, which represents Gresham workers, said it was investigating the new clock-in method to see whether it infringed their rights.

A Gresham employee, who did not want to be named, said staff had no problem in clocking in and out but the new system had "gone too far".

"There was no dialogue between the union and management," he told the Irish Independent.

"I've been working for the Gresham for a long time and no one spoke to us about bringing this in.

"We were left completely in the dark.

"I'm not a trouble-maker and had no problem clocking-in and out, but this worries me.

"It was the bloody-minded way they brought it in. It is very disconcerting.

"We are worried about the Big Brother aspect of it.

"What could be done with the fingerprints? We just don't know."

A spokesperson for the Gresham Hotel said the new system, known as Time Point, does not record fingerprints.

According to the Dublin-based company that installed it, it records employees clocking in and out by recognising five points on their hand.

It uses reflector plates and a camera that photographs the back of the hand.

The Time Point company said the system is 100pc accurate and claims it simplifies timekeeping for management. There are "no excuses, no cards, no estimated times, no books", it claims.

The Data Commissioner's office said it "expects full justification in any particular scenario for the introduction of a biometric system".

This would include step progression through alternative systems including swipe cards and PIN codes before the introduction of such a system was even considered.

"This office has not been contacted by the Gresham Hotel in relation to the introduction of a biometric system for its employees," a spokesperson said.

Concerns

The Commissioner is known to be concerned at the speed at which biometric systems are being introduced in workplaces.

His concerns are regardless of the type of biometric information collected or the technology used.

The commissioner expressed his reservations just weeks after he warned the Abbey Theatre that its system requiring workers to submit fingerprints breaches legislation.

In a strident letter to the national theatre, he strongly criticised the attendance procedure that was introduced last year.

He said there were "other less intrusive measures" used by most employers to keep records, including cards or PIN numbers.

Workers who construct the theatre's sets refused to use the device, known as the biometric 'time and attendance' system.

Computer-generated biometric data systems are already used in some local authorities and semi-State bodies including the National Concert Hall, Cavan and Galway county councils.

They work by automatically identifying various physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, retina, face, voice patterns, and body odour.