Workplace: Daimler AG
The BigBrotherAward 2011 in the “Workplace” category goes to Daimler AG in Stuttgart for requiring blood tests from their entire production workforce. This kind of modern-day vampirism is practised in disregard of personality rights and mostly without any such need in industrial law. Daimler had originally demanded these blood tests from their administrative employees as well, but this practice has been discontinued. Daimler receive this award as a representative for several German companies that require such blood tests – because the car manufacturer does not consider the blood tests themselves problematic, but the restrictions on medical practice imposed by data protection legislation.