Are name tags at work allowed under GDPR?

Name tags at work: is it allowed under GDPR? That question rarely comes up, even though name tags are everywhere. Employees wear them in supermarkets, tech stores, beauty salons and at conferences. Most people hardly stop to wonder whether this practice actually complies with privacy laws.

Since the introduction of stricter privacy rules under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), employers can no longer display names without consent. This raises practical questions. Can an employer require staff to wear a name tag? And do employees have the right to refuse? To get clear answers, I asked my legal advisor, Kim Hendriks of Hendriks Meesteradvies.

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GDPR and name tags at work: what are the rules?

Hendriks explains that employers cannot put a name tag on staff clothing just like that. When they do, there always has to be a purpose. In addition, the decision has to be justifiable with a legal base. The GDPR describes 6 legal bases and you must be able to justify your decision with at least one of them.

 

The 6 bases:

1. Legitimate interests

2. Contractual performance

3. Public interest or acting under official authority

4. Consent for using the subject’s data

5. Vital interests

6. Compliance with a legal obligation.

 

Legitimate interests

“When I look at these bases, I can imagine there is a legitimate interest in implementing name tags.” says Hendriks. “Inthese cases, you always have to ask yourself if it adds something when your employees wear name tags. Is it more convenient for customers to know the name of the employee? In that case you can use name tags. But I would recommend only showing first or last name. When you display both, employees are traceable via social media. And that is exactly what the GDPR protects against. You cannot just publish everyone’s names.

Using either a first or last name is usually enough to address someone. For instance, when I was a Hello Fresh customer, I received a text message each time a delivery arrived. The message included the first name of the delivery person. Hello Fresh apparently values this personal touch, though I personally find it unnecessary. Still, it’s allowed under the law.

 

Exceptions to the rules

Hendriks explains that some jobs require full name disclosure, and sometimes even a photo. City guards and police officers, for example, must wear name tags because their role demands it. The law specifically states this requirement.

But not every company follows the rules correctly. Many misuse the law by assuming they can apply exceptions without a valid legal basis. One common example is the “who’s who” page with profile pictures of employees. Large organisations like to display names and photos on their intranet or public site for convenience. Legally, though, they need explicit consent from each employee. In your personal life, you must be able to identify yourself. As an employee, you don’t. Unless the law says otherwise.

 

Refusal of name tags at work

I run my own business, so I don’t wear a name tag. But at conferences, I often receive a badge with my full name and sometimes even my company name printed on it.

Hendriks questions why all that information needs to be visible. She says a first or last name is usually enough for basic introductions. If you don’t feel comfortable showing your full name, you can say no. That also applies to conferences. Only speakers who need to identify themselves at different checkpoints are required to wear full name tags.

In hindsight, I could have refused the name tag in the photo above. I wasn’t a speaker, just a visitor. I didn’t mind it at that moment, but it’s worth thinking about. If you prefer not to show your full name on a name tag, you have the right to decline.

 

Want to know how some companies handle privacy concerns differently?

In some cases, employees wear fictitious names on their uniforms to protect their identity. Curious how that works in practice? Read more in this article: Fictitious names on workwear to protect employee privacy.

Do you wear a name tag at work? And do you think name tags at work are allowed in your situation?

Greetings,

Aileen

Last update: 12/01/2026