Do employees have the right to refuse fingerprint- or facial recognition-based timekeeping?
In the context of the accelerating digital transformation in human resources management, many enterprises have replaced traditional timekeeping methods with fingerprint or facial recognition systems. This solution improves accuracy, prevents timekeeping fraud, and optimizes the management of employees’ working hours. However, fingerprints and facial images are not merely authentication tools but also biometric data intrinsically associated with each individual’s identifying characteristics. Therefore, the question arises as to whether an enterprise may require the use of this timekeeping method on the basis of its labor management authority, or whether employees have the right to refuse to provide their fingerprint or facial data. 1. Labor management authority does not supersede data protection obligations: Under the Labor Code 2019 (“ Labor Code 2019 ”), employers have the right to manage and direct employees, while employees are obliged to comply with internal labor regulat...