- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Germany · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- No confirmed legal basis recorded.
- Privacy topics
Company – €75,000 Fine (Germany, 2023)
Privacy enforcement record
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A company was fined for requiring employees to report sickness-related absences to a large email distribution list. This practice violated privacy regulations by unnecessarily disclosing personal information. Companies should ensure that employee data is shared only with those who need to know.
What happened
The company forced employees to report their sickness-related absences to a wide email distribution list.
Who was affected
Employees whose sickness-related information was shared with multiple colleagues and superiors.
What the authority found
The authority found that the company's practice of disclosing sickness-related absences was unlawful and unnecessary.
Why this matters
This ruling highlights the need for businesses to protect employee privacy. Companies should limit the sharing of personal information to only those who require it for legitimate purposes.
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Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 12 March 2026.
Processing notes: articles corrected, authority corrected.
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The DPA of Hamburg imposed a fine of EUR 75,000 on a company. An employee had lodged a complaint with the DPA due to the fact that they had to report their sickness-related absences by e-mail in an e-mail distribution list with 25 colleagues and superiors, although the internal company guideline stipulated that the sickness report only had to be submitted to the manager of the respective department. In addition, their manager had sent an email to a e-mail distribution list with several recipients listing all their sick days. During its investigation, the DPA found that such extensive disclosure was not necessary and therefore unlawful.
Related Enforcement Actions (6)
Other enforcement actions involving Company in DE
Fine
€75K
Details
Fine Date
1 January 2023
Authority
Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz
Fine Amount
€75,000
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Company - Germany (2023). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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