Selected Legal Aspects of Processing Employee Biometric Data

Abstract

Given the growing popularity of biometrics, doubts about the conditions for biometric data processing can be noticed in practice. These inaccuracies take place in various areas of law, including labour law. This article provides a theoretical discussion on the processing of special categories of data. It aims to point to the need for appropriate legal regulations to ensure the security of the processing of biometric data of employees and candidate employees. The article starts with clarifying the concept of biometric data and discusses the practical aspects of the use of biometric tools. Further on, the author analyses the legal regulations concerning the processing of biometric data in the relations between the employer as the personal data controller and the employee as the data subject. As a result of the studies carried out, a position was presented which indicates that the employer who processes biometric data of employees and candidates for employment should always find out whether he has legal justification to process the data in question. This article is one of the few studies on the processing of biometric data in Polish literature on the subject. The main purpose hereof is to present situations under the current legislation, in which the employer can process biometric data of its employees. The article is a form of universal presentation of the problem and may be of interest especially to legal practitioners.