Amazon Fined by French Regulator , for ‘Excessively Intrusive’ Staff Surveillance.
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) announced on Jan. 23 that the manager of the retailer's large warehouses in the country has been fined $34.7 million, CNBC reports. .
According to the French regulator, Amazon France Logistique provided employees with scanners to document workplace tasks.
The data from the scanners was used to
determine the “quality, productivity and periods
of inactivity of each employee,” the regulator said. .
According to CNIL, "it was illegal to set up a
system measuring work interruptions with
such accuracy, potentially requiring employees
to justify every break or interruption.”.
According to CNIL, "it was illegal to set up a
system measuring work interruptions with
such accuracy, potentially requiring employees
to justify every break or interruption.”.
The practice has been
deemed “excessively intrusive.”.
Amazon France Logistique reportedly broke
several rules established by the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). .
Amazon has since issued a statement. .
We strongly disagree with the
CNIL’s conclusions which are
factually incorrect and we reserve
the right to file an appeal, Amazon, via statement.
Warehouse management systems are industry
standard and are necessary for ensuring the
safety, quality, and efficiency of operations
and to track the storage of inventory and
processing of packages on time and in line
with customer expectations, Amazon, via statement