According to media reports, on March 22, a former IKEA executive in France was charged with illegally monitoring employees and customers. The lawsuit officially entered the trial stage from that day, and the trial will continue until the 2nd of next month.
It is reported that in 2012, IKEA was reported by an insider, saying that IKEA France tried to illegally obtain the personal data and sensitive information of company employees and IKEA customers by mastering the internal police database, hiring private investigators, etc. Customer information in dispute with IKEA.
After receiving the report, the French prosecutors immediately launched an investigation into IKEA, and finally IKEA France fired the four executives involved in the case and made changes to its internal policies. “IKEA France takes the protection of employee and customer data very seriously,” IKEA France said in a statement, adding that since the investigation began in 2012, the company has been implementing compliant training procedures to prevent illegal activity.
In Monday’s trial in Versailles court, a total of 15 people, including the former chief executive of French IKEA, the former chief financial officer and several former store managers, appeared in court, including four police officers involved in the case. If convicted, the two former CEOs involved in the case will face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 750,000 euros, while IKEA may also receive a hefty fine of 3.75 million euros.
Ikea also faces civil lawsuits from unions and 74 employees over its illegal access to employee and user information. It is understood that an Ikea employee told the trial that the company had suspected him of being a bank robber because they found a criminal record of a bank robber with the same name in the investigation system. Not only that, but IKEA France used unauthorized data to try to catch an employee who filed for unemployment benefits but was driving a Porsche.
“Employees’ right to privacy should be sacred,” said employee attorney Anne Solumboville. At present, the case has received widespread attention in French society.
The Links: FZ600R12KS4 1MBI1500UE-330
