On 5 June 2020, the Belgian Data Protection Authority issued a guidance regarding temperature screenings within the context of the return-to-work policies developed by companies following the COVID-19 pandemic. In the guidance, the Belgian DPA addresses, among others, the privacy concerns arising from different methods of temperature screening.
Tag Archives: coronavirus
Hogan Lovells Launches Global Privacy Guide to Support Businesses with COVID-19 Exit Plans
As the world focuses its efforts on the right strategy to beat the coronavirus and make normal life safe again, businesses are devising and implementing a variety of measures to deal with the COVID-19 crisis which rely on the collection, use and dissemination of personal data. To assist with this challenge and ensure that privacy and cybersecurity aspects are appropriately addressed, Hogan Lovells has released today a detailed guide providing legal analysis and practical recommendations. The guide is made available in this post.
Return to Workplace U.S. Memorandum for Employers
As companies in the United States work to re-open physical workplaces, they must navigate an array of federal, state, and local laws that relate to employees, including requirements to keep workplaces safe while protecting employee privacy. Hogan Lovells partner Harriet Pearson contributed to a timely memorandum published on May 13 by the HR Policy Association. This memorandum is made available in this blog post.
EDPB’s New Guidelines – Clinical Trials in the EU and COVID-19
We currently live in a world where the rapid spread of COVID-19 has provoked the urge to initiate the search for an effective vaccine or medicines to fight against it. In this context, the EDPB has recently published its Guidelines 03/2020 on the processing of data concerning health for the purpose of scientific research in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak with the clear objective of ensuring that patients’ and trial subjects’ privacy is not disregarded while clinical trials are carried out.
EDPB Weighs-In on Tools for Fighting the COVID-19 Health Crisis; HL Team Updates Summary of DPA Views
Data protection authorities from around the world are stepping in to provide their input and guidance on the matter of data processing activities and the fight against the coronavirus. Hogan Lovells’ global Privacy and Cybersecurity team maintains a tracker of guidance from 30+ European data protection authorities, which we are making available with this post.
Now Available: U.S. Consumer Financial Issues during COVID-19 and Beyond (Webinar Materials)
During this webinar, Hogan Lovells attorneys discussed the latest developments on consumer financial issues and how you can steer your organization in today’s rapidly changing COVID-19 environment and beyond. The webinar recording and slides are now available on our blog.
New York Department of Financial Services Released New Guidance Addressing COVID-19 Related Cybersecurity Risks
Continuing its focus on COVID-19’s impact on its regulated entities, on April 13, the New York Department of Financial Services released new cybersecurity guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance highlights the heightened cybersecurity risks from the current crisis and NYDFS’ expectations that its regulated entities address those risks as large portions of their workforce have shifted to remote working arrangements.
Making COVID-19 Apps Data Protection Compliant
The role of COVID-19 contact tracing apps in the exit strategy of the current lockdown that is gripping much of the world is increasingly becoming a focus of attention. While that role is being hotly debated, it is very likely that those apps in combination with other measures will be deployed across many countries. Until now and despite the calls by influential bodies such as the European Data Protection Supervisor for a coordinated approach to the development of single COVID-19 mobile app involving the World Health Organization, different countries have adopted their own strategies.
Webinar Invitation — Prepare for Global Data Class Actions
Please join us on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 for a one-hour webinar discussion during which Partners from Hogan Lovells will provide a general overview of data class actions in the United States, Europe, Mexico, and Russia.
COVID-19 and IT Service Provider Contracts: A Checklist for Force Majeure Events
COVID-19 has impacted organizations’ relationships with their IT service providers, who often play an important role in securing their data and systems. Under current conditions, some service providers may face challenges in performing this work. Potential non-performance has significant consequences for service providers and their clients alike. To prepare for these challenges, entities that have contracts with service providers—and service providers themselves—should carefully review their existing agreements and any force majeure-type provisions in particular. This post includes our COVID-19 service provider risk mitigation checklist.
Now Available: Global Employment and Data Privacy Considerations for COVID-19 (Webinar Materials)
On March 19 and 30, partners from the Employment and Privacy and Cybersecurity practice areas hosted webinars addressing issues that clients are facing as they respond to the global coronavirus pandemic. The webinar recordings and slides are now available on our blog.
FCC Confirms that Certain COVID-19 Communications Fall Within the TCPA’s “Emergency Purposes” Exception
On March 20, the FCC released a Declaratory Ruling confirming that the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus qualifies as an emergency under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. As a result, hospitals, health care providers, health officials, and other government officials may use automated calls and text messages to communicate information about COVID-19 when “necessary to protect the health and safety of citizens,” without violating the TCPA.
COVID-19 Webinar Invitation — U.S. Employment Considerations
Please join us on Monday, March 30 for a webinar discussion with attorneys from Hogan Lovells’ Employment practice to address employment issues that our clients are facing due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 Webinar Invitation — Global Employment & Data Privacy Considerations
Please join us on Thursday, March 19 for a one-hour webinar discussion during which Partners from Hogan Lovells’ Employment and Privacy and Cybersecurity practices will be making some global observations on employment issues our clients are facing and highlighting the specific impact coronavirus is having for employers, including with respect to data privacy.
Coronavirus and Data Protection: Europe’s Data Protection Authorities’ Views
Data protection authorities from around the world are stepping in to provide their input and guidance on the matter of data processing activities and the fight against the coronavirus. Hogan Lovells’ global Privacy and Cybersecurity team has compiled the guidance from various European authorities, which we are making available with this post.
Employers Take Notice: Increased Cybersecurity Threats Amid Coronavirus Precautions
On March 11, the Word Health Organization officially characterized the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic. During the outbreak, many employers around the world are seeking to prioritize the well-being and safety of their employees by asking them to work remotely instead of risking exposure while commuting and working in populated office spaces. Organizations need to take into account increased risks to the security of their networks, systems, and data during this time.