Fingerprinting in the workplace

M

mousey

Registered User
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32
Hi

I was wondering if anybody had any information on fingerprinting in the workplace. The company I work for are looking at putting in a new system whereby all employees enter the premises using a new fingerprint system.
Can they do this? Do I have to give my fingerprint? No details have been disclosed to staff as to the security precautions that are in place for the storage of this information. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
We have this to enter our creche - I would imagine its just a security measure - better than swipe cards.
 
Have this in my workplace. you enter your code and then give your fingerprint to clock in an out. i guess it prevents people from clocking each other in and out.
 
Presumably the company is bound by the relevant data protection laws on use and storage of this personal information? Not sure if this is of any relevance:

[broken link removed]

And I'm not sure what, if any, statutory rights you have here. Maybe NERA (www.employmentrights.ie) can advise?

Whatever about apprising yourself of any statutory rights and citing/asserting them perhaps the best initial course of action would be for you (and any concerned colleagues) to raise your concerns in discussion with the company/management? Perhaps they can explain more and allay any fears that you have?
 
Hi All

Thanks a million for all your posts. I do think that a discussion is req. to ease the concerns.
Thanks again
 
mousey said:
Hi

I was wondering if anybody had any information on fingerprinting in the workplace. The company I work for are looking at putting in a new system whereby all employees enter the premises using a new fingerprint system.
Can they do this? Do I have to give my fingerprint? No details have been disclosed to staff as to the security precautions that are in place for the storage of this information. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Systems I have worked with, don't store your finger print.
They take a scan and record about 50 points from your print and use this to format a code and they store this code.
They when you login it scans your print and calculates the code and compares it with the one stored.
They cannot get a copy of your finger print from the code.
 
Physiological Biometrics is a difficult area for law, I understand your hesitancy to comply.

With issues of privacy highlighted by loss of data recently,deletion of data when employment ends and company not supplying a contract giving exact uses for this data

.I.E Will not be forwarded to Law Enforcement, and added to database


You should contact company and highlight concerns, and contact Data Protection Agency

[broken link removed]


If they give you anything interesting here, please post back.
 
hhhhhhhhhh said:
Systems ...
They take a scan and record about 50 points from your print and use this to format a code and they store this code.
They when you login it scans your print and calculates the code and compares it with the one stored.
They cannot get a copy of your finger print from the code.
Click to expand...
Similar to the biometric recognition system used on certain lap-tops, in combination with user-name / password combination (Irish financial organisations please note).
 
mathepac said:
Similar to the biometric recognition system used on certain lap-tops, in combination with user-name / password combination (Irish financial organisations please note).
Click to expand...

Yes (my T60 has this 'handy' feature), but the difference in general is the fingerprint is stored locally only (with an internal mapping to stored credentials), not on a corporate network or equivalent, unless it's integrated with the directory server.
 
How bizare.
The only place I ever encountered this was in the Prison Service, where the staff had to 'sign in' past the doors with fingerprint technology.
The prisoners however used to spit on the finger-pads.
Nice.
Nicola
 
NicolaM said:
How bizare.
The only place I ever encountered this was in the Prison Service, where the staff had to 'sign in' past the doors with fingerprint technology.
The prisoners however used to spit on the finger-pads.
Nice.
Nicola
Click to expand...
These systems are becoming more common now-a-days as it is the law to record employee working hours, and NERA is starting to crack down hard on it.
I have seen queues of people waiting to start work at the scanner and they are very prone to error, having to do 3+ attempts for it to work.
They should really only be used as a security measure for secure locations not as a clocking device.
 
We use these on most of our sites at work - as others mentioned it prevents the problems of employees signing in for others when they are not at work and encourages people to arrive on time. Also stops there being a problem with people "forgetting" their swipe card.
 
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