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Volkswagen Unit Probed Over Sharing Health Data on 600 Workers

The case highlights how aggressive absence tracking can violate GDPR.

Overview

  • Volkswagen Group Services confirmed Friday it mishandled sensitive health data for roughly 600 employees.
  • Volkswagen’s internal audit unit opened an investigation to identify those responsible for the practice.
  • Since June 2025, managers held large online meetings every two weeks to discuss names, illnesses, and absence records.
  • Dossiers were shared as PowerPoint slides, and some workers were tagged red, yellow, or green to mark perceived problems.
  • Hundreds received GDPR breach notices, and several have sued in the Braunschweig labor court citing career and privacy harm, with the effort tied to an absence-rate drive during broader cost cuts.