Employee Rights in the Workplace
Abstract Our world of technological advances is growing day by day. So much so, in fact, that new laws are created to help determine the legal responsibilities and actions to be taken if an incident occurs. The advantages and disadvantages of monitoring and being monitored will be discussed. Some of the laws that represent the employer and employee as well as why an employer would want to monitor an employee will also are discussed. Although employee monitoring is beneficial to an employer for a variety of reasons, it is better for an employer to leave an employees’ private life away from the workplace private.
Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace
The Eye That Is Watching Employee monitoring is becoming more widespread throughout the United States. There are various methods of employee monitoring being used. A few of the monitoring methods are video cameras, Internet wiretapping, global positioning system (GPS), electronic eavesdropping, and biometric identifiers. With the use of video cameras, W.T. “Ted” Sandlin states, “surveillance means only extension of the eye” (Frankel, 1996, 2). Employers can use video cameras for different reasons. They use cameras for watching people who shop in case a shopper takes something without paying. Cameras can also be used above cash registers in case employees steal money. Video cameras have been used for so many years and by so many companies that our society tends to ignore the cameras. Employers use an Internet wiretap system to monitor the different web sites visited by each employee. Truck and delivery companies have been using the GPS for many years so they can monitor the traveling being done by their drivers (Freedman, 2006). Not all companies purchase GPS tracking devices to monitor employees. Some companies purchase these devices to show safe driving habits to insurance companies and to have service calls adequately covered by technicians. (Siegel, 2004).
Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace
The Eye That Is Watching Employee monitoring is becoming more widespread throughout the United States. There are various methods of employee monitoring being used. A few of the monitoring methods are video cameras, Internet wiretapping, global positioning system (GPS), electronic eavesdropping, and biometric identifiers. With the use of video cameras, W.T. “Ted” Sandlin states, “surveillance means only extension of the eye” (Frankel, 1996, 2). Employers can use video cameras for different reasons. They use cameras for watching people who shop in case a shopper takes something without paying. Cameras can also be used above cash registers in case employees steal money. Video cameras have been used for so many years and by so many companies that our society tends to ignore the cameras. Employers use an Internet wiretap system to monitor the different web sites visited by each employee. Truck and delivery companies have been using the GPS for many years so they can monitor the traveling being done by their drivers (Freedman, 2006). Not all companies purchase GPS tracking devices to monitor employees. Some companies purchase these devices to show safe driving habits to insurance companies and to have service calls adequately covered by technicians. (Siegel, 2004).
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