CLAIM-2026-08-23-06

In 1 ABR 16/23, decided 16 July 2024, the Bundesarbeitsgericht held that a headset system allowing supervisors to listen in on employee communications is a technische Einrichtung intended to monitor within the meaning of section 87(1)(6) BetrVG, and that its introduction and use is co-determined 'auch dann, wenn die Gespraeche nicht aufgezeichnet oder gespeichert werden'. The employer's subjective monitoring intention is not decisive; objective suitability is.

Why it matters

This is the correction. It removes both defences an engineering team reaches for: we did not intend to monitor, and we are not storing anything for review.

Sources

• bundesarbei2024bag