Amazon France slapped with $36M fine over "overly intrusive" employee surveillance

This system implemented by Amazon tracked metrics such as scanner downtime used by warehouse workers to register packages, and the speed of scanning items. According to CNIL, such a system is illegal.

The agency clarified that this equates to "employee surveillance". CNIL stated that data collection by the scanners constitutes an "excessive system of activity and performance monitoring", potentially forcing workers to justify every break.

Reflecting a broader perspective, CNIL sees it as excessive to store all data collected by the system, along with the resulting statistical indicators for all employees and temporary workers for a period of 31 days," the statement highlighted.

In response, Amazon articulated, "We strongly disagree with CNIL's conclusions, which we find inconsistent with the facts, and we reserve the right to appeal."

"The use of warehouse management systems is a widely accepted practice in the industry: they ensure safety, quality, operational efficiency, as well as inventory tracking and package processing that meets expectations and timelines," it further added.

Amazon France Logistique handles large Amazon warehouses in France. The company has two months to file an appeal.