Biometric Check At Work

[fentuz]

Hi,

 

my employer has asked me to give him my digital fingerprints in order to do some attendance check at work (I didn't use to clock).

 

Is this request reasonable? How can I control what they will be do with my prints? I am not lawyer and I don't know if this is very legal?

 

I would understand such thing I was working on a high security site with national security issues but it is not the case. It is only to control the intendance at the office (to clock)

I read some French articles about it: I read that the CNIL (some sort of council for data protection) was OK with such system for high risk sites but opposes to them if it is something to clock people and make sure they make their hours.

 

My concern is not to give my prints but more to know what is done with them, which traces are recorded, or where are they store etc…

 

 

Any advices?

[mik]

Cut your hands off - slight problem for both of you I suppose!!

 

Mick

[jez o]

I wouldn't be happy with this. It seems complete overkill for clocking in purposes. Haven't you got managers to keep an eye on you?!!

 

Say that you're worried about this data being stored when it doesn't seem entirely necessary- I don't see how they can force you to do it. Sounds like someone got some new technology on the and wants to use it, but there must be easier ways to monotor this (PC login times etc).

[DunkHSP]

apparently it depends what the system actually does. we are just having a similar system being installed and I had chance to talk to the guy putting it in. he seems to have the opinion that as a rule having something that actually 'reads' finger/hand prints are not strictly allowed in common work places as it is a breach of privacy laws. The system we have actually recognises the hand not the print (apparently all hands are unique) although how this is any different in terms of privacy I don't know, just a technical loop hole in the law I guess.

 

oh, and he also said they are not very reliable!! one giant leap forward......

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Yup, unless it's a really high end system, they aren't very reliable at all, they just don't measure enough data points with the required accuracy. I don't think you'll have any recourse to complain though, as I know they recently did this at the former school I went to - for lunch money! Instead o fhaving money, your parents top up a lunch money account, then you pay for your lunch with a thumb print, apparently, it stops bullying for lunch money and saves children loosing/forgetting their money and allows parents to track what their children have been eating. There was a bit of a hoo-haa about it for a few days on the local news, then that was it. There's no way on Earth i'd of been letting any child of mine use the system.

[fentuz]

I had a chat with my boss (technical Director) and came to an agreement... I'll do it (Ihave no choice anyway) but the company has 1 month to give a full presentation of the system, say what it is what it does etc... yes, they asked us to do this without telling/giving us the full pictures...

 

 

regarding the reliability, my boss tried the system put in the school his kids go. I tried the money system thingy... he found funny to try all his fingers...

Result, his fingers are the same as a certain number of school kids and 5 teachers.... Great stuff....

 

And to make this story better, I have to give the prints of my indexes.... I only have one... (other was cut off when I was 4....)