Errors on the company PC: How to protect yourself from drastic consequences!

Errors on the company PC: How to protect yourself from drastic consequences!

In today's digital world of work, a simple mistake on the company PC can have serious consequences for employees. Birgit Kronberger, managing director of a template portal for labor law, warns of the legal consequences of careless actions in the IT area. Underestimations such as opening an infected email attachment or the transfer to a fraudulent account can not only lead to a warning, but also to the obligation to pay compensation or to terminate the employment relationship. Rainer Kraft, also managing director of the portal, emphasizes that gross negligence in the event of violations of company instructions should not be taken lightly.

Responsibility for IT security lies with both employers and the employees. Employers are required to provide training and IT security guidelines, while employees are asked to comply with internal processes and critically examine suspicious content. Labor law consequences for slightly negligent errors are rare, but gross negligence or intentions can lead to a notice without notice, as in the case of the use of fraudulent email.

Legal ramifications of data protection violations

data protection violations can also have serious consequences. Companies are generally liable for the misconduct of their employees to third parties, and the responsible supervisory authority can impose high fines. In accordance with the liability principles, the consequences differ depending on the degree of negligence: employees do not adhere to slight negligence, but in full with gross negligence. Disencups in data protection regulations can lead to warnings or terminations, as the case law shows.

• severe negligence often leads to termination without notice, as numerous judgments prove.
• Examples from the case law include the termination without notice due to the reading and expressing of private emails or mass access to registration data.
• Liability in the data protection area can be reduced through regular training and clear guidelines for data processing.

companies that neglect IT security, act grossly negligent, which was also confirmed by a judgment of the Higher Regional Court of Hamm. In a case of a travel company, it was shown that the lack of data backup led to a loss of many business data. The court found that the company was responsible for this loss despite a breach of duty by the repair service.

The financial risks from IT failures are considerable. In addition to potential compensation claims from contractual partners, insurance can reduce benefits or increase premiums if IT security deficits are proven. Therefore, companies should rely on technology and legal clarity to minimize misunderstandings and legal risks.