Workplace algorithms under control

Parliament agreed on Wednesday that the increasing use of algorithmic work management - for example, in recruitment, performance evaluation or task allocation - brings not only efficiencies but also serious risks to workers' rights. It therefore calls for every important decision concerning the employment relationship to be subject to human judgement at all times.

According to MEPs, recruitment, termination, pay changes and disciplinary action must not be based solely on an automatic algorithm. Moreover, employees should have the right to ask for an explanation of how the algorithm made its decision and, if in doubt, to have such a decision reviewed by a human being.

Transparency is an important part of the proposal. Employers should clearly inform workers whether and how algorithms are used, what data systems collect about them and how human supervision is ensured. Parliament believes that the use of these systems must not endanger the health, safety or mental well-being of employees.

Particular emphasis is placed by Members on the protection of personal data. They propose to prohibit the processing of data on the emotional or psychological state of employees, their private communications, movements outside working hours or union-related activities. The aim is to prevent unreasonable surveillance and interference with people's privacy at work.

The approved text is not a law, but a challenge to the European Commission. It now has three months to announce whether it will prepare a concrete legislative proposal or explain why it will not do so. Parliament is sending a clear signal that the digitisation of work should go hand in hand with the protection of human dignity and workers' rights.