Live Webinar: Employer Privacy Obligations: Avoiding Privacy Breaches at Work

Employers handle vast amounts of personal information about their employees, but where does the line between legitimate use and privacy breaches lie? While the Privacy Act includes an employee records exemption, its scope is often misunderstood—leaving organisations vulnerable to complaints, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny. This session clarifies the boundaries of employer privacy obligations, examining when the exemption applies and where businesses risk crossing the line. It covers:

• Understanding the employee records exemption and APP 6 - When privacy protections apply and when they don’t
• Primary vs secondary use of personal information - Determining whether an employer’s use of employee data aligns with its original collection purpose
• Employment relationship vs privacy rights - Assessing whether specific employee information is directly related to employment or falls outside the exemption
• Internal disclosures and privacy risks - When sharing employee information within an organisation could constitute an interference with privacy
• Lessons from recent case law - Key takeaways from ALI and ALJ (Privacy) [2024] AICmr 131 and its implications for employer privacy obligations
• The role of intent in privacy breaches - Understanding how an organisation’s purpose and intent affect compliance risks when using and disclosing personal information
• The impact of recent privacy reforms on employers
• Privacy issues that may arise in the development and deployment of AI models, and the steps employers can take to mitigate the risks.