Before activating Parvl on your Slack channels, you should notify your team members. Use the template below as a starting point -- customise the bracketed fields for your organisation.
NOTICE OF WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION MONITORING Dear [Team/Employee Name], We are implementing Parvl, a decision intelligence tool, to help our team track and recall important decisions made in our Slack workspace. WHAT THIS MEANS: - Messages in the following Slack channels will be analyzed by Parvl: [channel list] - Parvl uses AI to identify decisions, proposals, and key agreements from conversations - No human reads your messages in real-time -- the analysis is automated - Direct messages and private channels are NOT monitored unless specifically added WHAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED: - Message text from monitored channels - Your Slack display name and user ID - Message timestamps WHERE YOUR DATA IS PROCESSED: - Parvl's servers are hosted in the United States (Railway, Supabase) - AI processing is performed by Anthropic (US) and OpenAI (US) - All data is encrypted in transit and at rest YOUR RIGHTS: - You can request access to your data at any time - You can request deletion of your data - Contact [admin name/email] or privacy@parvl.com with questions This monitoring will commence on [date]. For more information about how Parvl handles your data, visit: https://parvl.com/legal/privacy [Company Name] [Date]
Australia has no single federal workplace surveillance law. Requirements vary by state and territory. The table below summarises the key legislation relevant to monitoring workplace digital communications (such as Slack messages processed by Parvl).
| State/Territory | Legislation | Notice Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 | 14 days' written notice required before computer surveillance begins (s 10). Must specify the kind of surveillance, how it will be carried out, and when it will start. |
| ACT | Workplace Privacy Act 2011 | 14 days' written notice required before surveillance begins (s 13). Must include device type, scope, start date, and purposes. Employer must consult in good faith with any employee who raises concerns during the notice period. |
| VIC | Surveillance Devices Act 1999 | Regulates listening, optical, and tracking devices. Does not specifically address computer/email monitoring. No mandated notice period for digital communication monitoring. |
| QLD | No specific workplace surveillance legislation | No mandated notice period. Employers must make employees aware that communications are monitored. General privacy obligations apply. |
| WA | Surveillance Devices Act 1998 | Covers listening and optical devices. No specific provisions for computer/email monitoring. No mandated notice period. |
| SA | Surveillance Devices Act 2016 | Covers “data surveillance devices” (programs that monitor computer input/output). Implied consent sufficient, but employers should inform via written policy. No prescribed notice period. |
| TAS | Listening Devices Act 1991 | Limited to listening devices. No provisions for digital communication monitoring. No mandated notice period. |
| NT | Surveillance Devices Act 2007 | Covers listening and optical devices. No specific workplace digital communication provisions. No mandated notice period. |
Federal: The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) APP 5 requires notification at or before the time of collection. However, the employee records exemption (s 7B(3)) currently exempts private sector employers from the APPs when handling employee records directly related to the employment relationship. This exemption may be narrowed in future reforms. Regardless, notification is strongly recommended as best practice.
Best practice: Regardless of jurisdiction, we recommend providing at least 14 days' notice before activating Parvl. This builds trust with your team and provides a defensible position in any jurisdiction.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult your legal counsel to ensure compliance with the workplace surveillance and privacy laws applicable to your organisation's jurisdiction. For details on how Parvl processes data, see our Privacy Policy and Data Processing Agreement.