NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005
New South Wales law on how employers may watch employees through cameras, computer monitoring and tracking devices: 14 days' written notice, visible cameras and signs, a notified computer surveillance policy, tracking notices on vehicles, no surveillance in change rooms and bathrooms or outside work, rules on blocking email and websites and on using surveillance records, and covert surveillance only under a Magistrate's authority.
NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 is a compliance framework from Australia: New South Wales with 3 domains and 17 controls that map to 3 other frameworks. The largest domains are Part 4: Covert surveillance of employees at work – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (8 controls), Part 2: Notification of workplace surveillance – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (5 controls), Part 3: Prohibited surveillance and limits – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (4 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (3)
Part 2: Notification of workplace surveillance – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s10 | s 10 Written notice of surveillance at least 14 days before it starts |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s11 | s 11 Camera surveillance: cameras visible and signs at each entrance |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s12 | s 12 Computer surveillance: written policy notified in advance |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s13 | s 13 Tracking surveillance: visible notice on the tracked vehicle or thing |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s14 | s 14 Surveillance for a non-employee purpose under an agreement |
Part 3: Prohibited surveillance and limits – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s15 | s 15 No surveillance in change rooms, toilets, showers or bathing facilities |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s16 | s 16 No surveillance with a work device while the employee is not at work |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s17 | s 17 Blocking email or internet access only under a notified policy, with prevented delivery notice |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s18 | s 18 Use and disclosure of notified surveillance records |
Part 4: Covert surveillance of employees at work – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s19 | s 19 No covert surveillance of employees at work without a covert surveillance authority |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s20 | s 20 Limits of a covert surveillance authority: unlawful activity only, supervised, no performance monitoring |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s22 | s 22 Security surveillance defence: sole security purpose, real risk and prior written notice |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s23 | s 23 Applying to a Magistrate for a covert surveillance authority |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s29-30 | ss 29 to 30 Duration and conditions of the authority, and compliance with them |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s35 | s 35 Report to the Magistrate within 30 days after the authority expires |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s36 | s 36 Secure storage of covert surveillance records |
| nsw-workplace-surveillance-act-2005::s37 | s 37 Covert surveillance information used or disclosed for a relevant purpose only |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005, you already cover:
Maps to 3 other frameworks
Coverage is not the same as your position
This page shows what NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.
The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business daysWhat is NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 and who does it apply to?
NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 is a compliance framework from Australia: New South Wales with 3 domains and 17 controls. New South Wales law on how employers may watch employees through cameras, computer monitoring and tracking devices: 14 days' written notice, visible cameras and signs, a notified computer surveillance policy, tracking notices on vehicles, no surveillance in change rooms and bathrooms or outside work, rules on blocking email and websites and on using surveillance records, and covert surveillance only under a Magistrate's authority. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 actually require?
NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 has 17 controls organised across 3 domains. The largest domains are Part 4: Covert surveillance of employees at work – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (8 controls), Part 2: Notification of workplace surveillance – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (5 controls), Part 3: Prohibited surveillance and limits – NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (4 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 do I already cover?
NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 maps to 3 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) (41% coverage), ISO 27002:2022 (41% coverage), GDPR (12% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005?
Start your NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 17 controls and track your progress.
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