Restrictions in the Workplace
Greek law does not contain specific provisions expressly regulating employees’ use of the internet or social media in the workplace. However, based on the employer’s managerial prerogative, employers may adopt internal policies governing the use of company IT systems, internet access and social media during working hours. Such policies must comply with data protection legislation and general labour law principles. In particular, any restrictions must be legitimate, proportionate, transparent and communicated in advance to employees.
Can the employer monitor, access, review the employee’s electronic communications?
Under Greek law, the employer may monitor, access or review employees’ electronic communications only under strict conditions arising from the GDPR, relevant Greek supplementing legislation and the opinions/guidelines/decisions of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority. Any monitoring must pursue a legitimate business purpose, such as ensuring IT security, protecting company assets or complying with legal obligations, and must be necessary and proportionate in light of that purpose. In line with the accountability principle, monitoring should be limited in scope and duration, and should not be continuous or generalised.
The employer is also required to ensure full transparency, meaning that employees must be clearly informed in advance, typically through internal policies or privacy notices, about the nature, scope and purposes of the monitoring. Monitoring measures must be carefully designed to avoid excessive intrusion into employees’ private sphere, particularly where some degree of personal use of company systems is permitted.
Employees remain bound by duties of loyalty, good faith and confidentiality towards their employer, including outside working hours and in their use of social media.
Posting defamatory, offensive or damaging content about the employer, colleagues or clients, or disclosing confidential or commercially sensitive information, may constitute a breach of these obligations. Depending on the severity of the conduct, this may justify disciplinary action, including termination of employment, provided that the measure is proportionate and, where applicable, consistent with any internal regulations or policies.
In addition, employers may seek civil remedies, including claims for damages in cases involving reputational harm or the unlawful disclosure of trade secrets or confidential information.
