UK GDPR & Privacy-First Time Tracking
Geo Time Tracker is designed for UK businesses that require accurate attendance records while respecting employee privacy. This page outlines our commitment to data protection and how our software aligns with the principles of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
1. Introduction: Privacy-First by Design
We believe that employee time tracking should be transparent, fair, and focused on its core purpose: verifying attendance for accurate payroll. Our system is engineered around the principle of data minimisation. We have deliberately chosen not to include features like continuous live GPS tracking, route history, or real-time staff monitoring maps. Our approach ensures you get the attendance data you need without collecting excessive or intrusive personal information.
2. What Location Data Is Collected (and What Is Not)
Understanding how location data is handled is crucial. Our commitment is to process only the minimum information necessary to verify on-site presence.
What We Process
- A momentary GPS check at the exact time an employee presses "Clock In" or "Clock Out".
- A simple confirmation (true/false) that this check occurred inside a pre-defined geofence.
- A timestamp for the clock-in/out event.
What We NEVER Collect
- Live, continuous GPS location data.
- Employee location history or movement tracking between clock-ins.
- Location data during breaks or outside of working hours.
- Background location data when the app is not in active use for clocking in/out.
This event-based approach means managers can confirm attendance for a specific shift but cannot see an employee's live location on a map. This is a fundamental design choice to protect privacy.
3. Lawful Basis Under UK GDPR
Under UK GDPR, the processing of personal data must have a valid lawful basis. For our service, the lawful basis is 'Legitimate Interest'.
- Legitimate Interest: Your business has a legitimate interest in ensuring accurate payroll, managing workforce attendance, maintaining on-site safety records, and preventing timesheet fraud.
- Necessity: Processing location data at the moment of clock-in/out is a necessary and proportionate way to achieve this interest, as it directly verifies that an employee was at their designated place of work.
- Balancing Test: We have balanced this interest against the rights and freedoms of employees. By strictly limiting data collection to a momentary check and avoiding surveillance features, the impact on employee privacy is minimal and justified by the business need.
4. Employee Transparency & Fair Use
Transparency is a cornerstone of UK GDPR. We strongly advise all customers to be fully transparent with their employees about the use of this system. This should include:
- Informing staff in their employment contracts or company handbook that a location-based attendance tracking system is used.
- Clearly explaining that its purpose is for verifying attendance for payroll and safety, not for monitoring performance or behaviour.
- Explaining that location is checked only at the moment of clock-in and clock-out.
5. Data Hosting & Security
To comply with UK data sovereignty preferences and UK GDPR, all customer data for Geo Time Tracker is hosted in the United Kingdom (London region) on DigitalOcean infrastructure. We employ industry-standard security measures, including encryption in transit and at rest, to protect your data from unauthorised access.
6. Data Retention & Access Control
Your company remains the data controller for your employee data. Our platform provides role-based access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel (e.g., direct managers, HR, payroll) can view attendance records. Retention periods and access permissions are configurable by the customer / agreed per company policy to align with your internal policies and legal obligations, such as HMRC requirements for keeping business records.
7. Summary: Compliance by Design
Geo Time Tracker is built from the ground up to be a compliance-focused tool. By rejecting surveillance-style features and adhering to the principle of data minimisation, we provide a powerful solution for attendance management that you can deploy with confidence. Our simple, transparent pricing reflects this focused approach.
Disclaimer: This page provides information about our platform's design and features. It does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified legal professional to ensure your company's use of any employee management tool is fully compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.