Privacy Laws and Policies Debate

Communication privacy laws and policies in the workplace are ethical. These laws are ethical because employers want to make sure their employees are using company time productively and not creating a legal liability for their business as a result of harassing or offensive communications. It is very common in today’s society for employees to use company equipment such as a computer for their own personal use such as checking e-mails or being on facebook. Employees come to a business to work and get paid for being productive and helping the company grow. The employer has the right to keep an eye on what their employees are doing during their down time and to limit their amount of privacy. “When citizens take on the role of employees, their right to privacy is increasingly subjugated to employers’ interests.” (Friedman & Reed, 2007) Businesses have a right to minimize distractions for workers. I think these laws are ethical because it gives the employer a chance to see whether their employees are reliable and hard working. If not, the employers could hire some more valuable employees. Employers must monitor their employees actions in order to protect the company’s assets and avoid potential litigation. Yet they also must be able to attract, retain and motivate their workforce. (Friedman & Reed, 2007) I also feel it is the employer’s responsibility to inform their employees that their actions will be monitored such as e-mail communication.

References
Friedman, B., & Reed, L. (2007, June). Workplace privacy: Employee relations and legal implications of monitoring employee e-mail use. Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal, 19(2),

References: Friedman, B., & Reed, L. (2007, June). Workplace privacy: Employee relations and legal implications of monitoring employee e-mail use. Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal, 19(2), 75.