Finland Tietosuoja (EN)

Workplace Alcohol Testing and Personal Data Guidance

Finland's Data Protection Authority (Tietosuoja) has published guidance on workplace alcohol and drug testing and the collection of personal data from employees and job applicants. The guidance clarifies that occupational health care may not disclose an employee's health information to the employer without the employee's consent; the information remains secret and confidential. It also reiterates the core data minimisation principle: employers may only process personal data that is strictly necessary with regard to the employment relationship, and unnecessary data may not be processed even with the employee's consent.