Greek public administration is entering a new era of labor time management following the passage of Article 102 in the recent administrative reform bill. The regulation establishes a digital work card to record employee attendance and departure, linking data directly to the Ministry of Interior's Human Resources Management Information System (SDAD).
Scope and Operation
The measure applies to all public sector bodies and local government organizations (OTA), covering staff under both public and private law contracts. Responsibility for the system's accurate maintenance lies with unit supervisors. Existing time-tracking systems will not be abolished but must become interoperable with the new unified digital environment, which will serve as the primary reference database.
Data Usage and Restrictions
The utilization of collected data is strictly limited to specific administrative purposes, including:
- Monitoring compliance with working hours.
- Calculating salaries and overtime compensation.
- Statistical analysis and legality audits.
A key safeguard in the legislation is the explicit prohibition of adverse treatment of employees based solely on this data, without prejudice to established disciplinary and service frameworks.
The Biometric Exception
Biometric identification remains an exception rather than the rule. It is permitted only in high-security areas or critical infrastructure where less intrusive means are unavailable. Furthermore, biometric systems may be activated in agencies where the National Transparency Authority has identified repeated and significant attendance violations within a 12-month period. This requires detailed justification and a prior opinion from the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA).
Implementation Roadmap
The project will launch with a pilot phase, aiming for the completion of all necessary operational actions within the second half of 2027, facilitated through a programmatic agreement with "Information Society S.A."
