Employee Privacy, Monitoring and Data Protection Services for Employers

Practical legal advice to help employers manage workforce data, introduce proportionate monitoring and protect employee privacy.

Request a Call Back Contact Us

Contact Us

Let us know how we can help and a member of the DTM Legal team will get in touch.
Contact Us

Employers collect and use personal information throughout the employment relationship, from recruitment and onboarding to absence management, performance reviews, workplace investigations and employee exits. Managing this information properly is essential for protecting employees, maintaining trust and reducing legal and reputational risk.

DTM Legal advises employers on employee privacy, workplace monitoring and data protection obligations. We support HR professionals, managers and business leaders with matters including staff privacy notices, subject access requests, health information, monitoring systems and data breaches involving workforce records.

Our Employment & HR solicitors help employers balance legitimate business requirements with the privacy rights of employees, workers and candidates. Whether you are reviewing your existing documentation, introducing new technology or responding to an individual request or complaint, we provide clear and practical guidance tailored to your organisation.

Contact Us

Employee Privacy, Monitoring and Data Protection Legal Services

We provide practical advice and support across a wide range of workforce data matters, including:

  • Drafting and reviewing employee and candidate privacy notices
  • Preparing workplace data protection policies
  • Drafting email, internet, device and communications policies
  • Advising on CCTV and workplace surveillance
  • Advising on remote-working and productivity monitoring
  • Reviewing location tracking and vehicle-monitoring arrangements
  • Advising on biometric and access-control systems
  • Assessing the use of artificial intelligence and automated monitoring tools
  • Identifying lawful bases for processing employee information
  • Advising on health, equality and other special category data
  • Preparing and reviewing data protection impact assessments
  • Advising on data minimisation and retention periods
  • Supporting employers with employee subject access requests
  • Reviewing and redacting information for disclosure
  • Advising on employee privacy during disciplinary and grievance procedures
  • Data sharing during investigations, TUPE transfers and corporate transactions
  • Supporting employers following workforce data breaches
  • Advising on confidentiality and access to systems during employee exits
  • Reviewing third-party HR, payroll and monitoring providers
  • Training HR teams and managers on workforce data protection

Why Instruct DTM Legal?

Employee data protection issues often sit at the intersection of employment law, HR practice, technology and compliance. Our Employment & HR team considers how privacy requirements affect the practical management of your workforce rather than treating data protection as a standalone administrative exercise.

We provide proportionate advice that reflects the type of information being processed, the reason it is required and the risks to the individuals involved. Where monitoring is proposed, we help employers assess whether it is necessary, whether a less intrusive option is available and how the arrangements should be documented and communicated.

We can also support employers when privacy concerns arise during workplace investigations, disciplinary procedures, grievances or employee exits. Our focus is on helping you manage the immediate issue while improving the policies and processes needed to reduce future risk.

We provide:

  • Practical and commercially focused employment law advice
  • Clear guidance on workforce data protection requirements
  • Policies and privacy notices tailored to your organisation
  • Support with workplace monitoring and new technology
  • Responsive advice on subject access requests and data breaches
  • Guidance on sensitive health and employee relations information
  • Training for HR teams, managers and decision-makers

Get in Touch

Whether you are reviewing your workforce privacy arrangements, introducing employee monitoring or responding to a subject access request, our Employment & HR team can help you manage employee data lawfully and proportionately.

To discuss your requirements, contact us by emailing employment@dtmlegal.com or calling 01244 354 800 / 0151 321 0000.

Key Contact
Partner / Head of Employment & HR
DTM Legal
5/5
350+Reviews

Request a Consultation

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Key Considerations When Handling Employee Data

Reviewing what information your organisation collects and how it is used can help identify gaps in transparency, security and compliance. Read our Key Considerations guide to understand some of the points a solicitor may wish to discuss when responding to your enquiry. It can help you prepare the relevant information and make your initial conversation more productive.

View Key Considerations
DTM Legal
5/5
350+Reviews

Employment & HR Team

Tom Evans

Partner / Head of Employment & HR
Jamie-Lea Taylor

Paralegal, Residential Conveyancing
Molly Drake

Solicitor, Commercial Property
Alison Brennan

Head of Compliance and Service Delivery

Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly asked questions from employers regarding employee privacy, monitoring and data protection.

Employers can retain information that is relevant and necessary for the employment relationship or another legitimate purpose. This may include contact details, payroll information, contracts, absence records, performance information, training records and disciplinary documentation.

The organisation should identify a lawful basis for using the information, keep it accurate and secure, and avoid retaining it for longer than necessary. Employees should also be told how their information will be used through an appropriate privacy notice.

Monitoring may be lawful where the employer has a clear and legitimate reason and the arrangements are necessary, proportionate and transparent. The employer should consider the level of intrusion, the information likely to be collected and whether a less intrusive method could achieve the same purpose.

Employees should normally be told what monitoring will take place and why. Covert monitoring should be reserved for exceptional and targeted circumstances, such as a specific investigation where informing the employee would prejudice the detection of suspected criminal conduct.

Not necessarily. Consent is often unsuitable as the main lawful basis in an employment relationship because employees may not have a genuinely free choice about whether to agree.

Depending on the purpose, an employer may instead rely on a contractual requirement, a legal obligation or legitimate interests. Where special category information is involved, a separate condition for processing will also be required.

A subject access request can be made verbally or in writing and does not need to use a particular form of words. The employer should identify the scope of the request, locate the relevant personal information and consider whether any exemptions or third-party rights apply.

Employers must normally respond without undue delay and within one month. The period may be extended by up to two further months for complex or multiple requests, and current rules require a reasonable and proportionate search for the requested information.

Health information is special category data and requires a higher level of protection. Employers must identify both a lawful basis for processing and an appropriate special category condition before using the information.

Access should be limited to those who genuinely need the information, and managers should generally receive only the details required to manage attendance, adjustments or workplace safety. Medical and occupational health information should be stored securely and handled confidentially.

What our Clients Say

See what our customers have to say about their experience

Review Solicitors Stars
5/5 350+Reviews
Steve Tatham
26/04/2026
Tom Evans provided an excellent service regarding my recent Voluntary Redundancy. Tom was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful in supporting the processing of the legal documentation around redundancy. Tom was very timely and managed our sessions well to ensure we didn’t overrun. I would highly recommend Tom and use him again if I needed legal support.
Ellie
27/10/2026
DTM’s employment department has dealt with a couple of matters on our behalf. They have dealt with all matters efficiently, providing clear advice on employment law, whilst also understanding the commercial aspects of suggested actions.
Mia
15/10/2023
They feel like an extension to our business. They fully understand our business inside and out and are very responsive and provide a huge level of support.

Related Insights