Protection of employees' personal data considering electronic and biometric access control systems

Technology is creating a profound transformation in working life, as it does in all areas of life. So much so that the fundamental concepts adopted since the Industrial Revolution have transcended their traditional definitions and acquired new meanings. The penetration of technology into working life—from production processes to employment relations—has extended the concept of the workplace beyond a mere physical location, evolving it into an organizational structure and facilitating the widespread adoption of new working models. These developments have necessitated the reconsideration of long-established and commonplace practices such as workplace surveillance. Indeed, in technologically transformed workplaces, employers have gained the ability to monitor employees more extensively and continuously than ever before through digital surveillance tools. This can lead surveillance to encroach upon areas unrelated to work and even beyond the time and place in which the work is performed, thereby interfering with the values that constitute employees' personalities. In this context, it is essential to define the legal framework of workplace surveillance. Although the employer's rights and obligations form the legal basis of such surveillance, this does not imply that the employer is granted unlimited surveillance authority. On the contrary, there are legal regulations that limit workplace surveillance, particularly to safeguard the rights of employees as individuals. In fact, workplace surveillance carries serious risks of violating various rights that protect employees' personalities, private lives, and personal data. Accordingly, workplace surveillance is deemed lawful only if it meets certain legal compliance criteria. This thesis examines the legal dimension of workplace surveillance within the context of the transformation technology has brought to working life, and in light of the need to reassess existing legal regulations in the face of technology's dynamic nature. Keywords: Digital Surveillance, Workplace Monitoring, Employee's Surveillance, Rights in Labour Relationship, Protection of Workers' Personal Data