Employees’ Data Protection in the Workplace and its Legal Implications A Comparative Overview of EU’s Legal Framework.

Enik Pogace, Head of Division, Bank of Albania, Albania

It is often argued that protection of employees' data and privacy is one of the key issues of employment relationships. Recent advanced technologies have provided the employer with vast opportunities to enquire about workers' personal life as well as record many data. It is worth pointing out that now is common for an employee to use his house as workplace or ask his colleagues as "friend" on Facebook or other social media, and share vast information on himself, both professional and private. It is evident that most of this information may be divulged to the employer, and in most cases it represents a dilemma on how to manage employee's interests and draw a boundary between "personal" and "professional" life.

Enik Pogace is head of employee relations division at the Bank of Albania. He has conducted legal research on a wide array of legal aspects related to banking, payment systems as well as prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. Prior to joining the Bank, Enik worked at a European Commission programme on justice reform in Albania. He has carried out academic studies and research at the Universities of Georgetown, Freiburg and Marmara as well as postgraduate legal research at the University of London. Enik’s recent work and research has been particularly focused on employment legal issues as well as current developments in banking legislation.

The Bank of Albania is the central bank of the country. The Bank has the attribute of the monetary and banking supervisory authority, and carries out, among others, the formulation, adoption and implementation of the monetary policy, as well as employs the appropriate monetary instruments to achieve its monetary policy targets. The Bank has the exclusive right to issue and circulate the national currency as well as promotes the normal functioning of payment systems.