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Workplace Surveillance. Parks Frazier. Types of Monitoring. Computer Monitoring Network Surveillance Call Monitoring Video Monitoring GPS Surveillance Social Media Monitoring. Why is it necessary?. legal liability reasons security concerns
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Workplace Surveillance • Parks Frazier
Types of Monitoring • Computer Monitoring • Network Surveillance • Call Monitoring • Video Monitoring • GPS Surveillance • Social Media Monitoring
Why is it necessary? • legal liability reasons • security concerns • productivity measurement and performance reviews • legal compliance
Legal Liability • Chevron Corporation sexual harassment charge
Performance Review • cyberloafing- slang term used to describe employees who surf the net, write e-mail or other Internet-elated activities at work • employee monitoring to prevent this
Cost of cyberloafing • Proven that cyberloafing can cost large companies up to 1 billion dollars per year • How can employers stop excessive cyberloafing without causing employees to feel resentment??
Stopping cyberloafing • develop solid policy • all monitoring should be kept work related • make guidelines regarding personal use of Internet reasonable • be aware of state laws for privacy in the workplace • get consent!
Computer Monitoring • main reason is to prevent cyberloafing • four types: • screen monitoring • data monitoring • keystroke monitoring • idle time monitoring
Screen Monitoring • Employer reviews video or images of screen activity • Examine EXACTLY what employees are doing on their computers • most intrusive
Data Monitoring • Consists of keeping track of the content of files stored on employees’ local hard drives.
Keystroke Monitoring • Mostly used in word-processing or data entry jobs • Software keeps up with number of keystrokes per unit of time • Reports to employer if necessary • Has been linked to health problems including stress disabilities and carpal tunnel
Idle Time Monitoring • Keeps track of amount of time employee is either away from computer or on computer not doing anything • Least intrusive
Network Surveillance • monitoring of data and traffic on the Internet • Computers communicate through use of “packets” • Network Surveillance is basically inspection of these packets • Electronic Communications Privacy Act supports that employers who own their computer system have the right to monitor
Smyth vs. Pillsbury • Smith was told his e-mails couldn’t be intercepted and used against him • He then made threatening comments over this e-mail and was terminated for it • He lost because of Pennsylvania’s denail of a cause of action for the termination of an at will employee
Falmouth Firefighters Union vs. Falmouth • Many sexual and intimate e-mails were recovered from work emails of Firefighter • Charged with sexual harassment • Lost because he couldn’t prove reason for expectation of privacy
Stengart vs. LovingCare Agency • Employee emailed attorney and employer used these emails against him • Court ruled that attorney-client privilege applied to emails • Company policy stated no expectation of privacy • Main factor: sent from personal email
Holmes vs. Petrovich Developmental Co. • Identical situation as Stengart vs LovingCare Agency • Only difference: emails were sent from company email • Court ruled in favor of employer
City of Ontario vs. Quon • Supreme Court upheld search of police officer’s personal messages • Not violation of constitutional rights because search was work-related • However, found sexually explicit messages
Video Monitoring • Reasons for video monitoring: • deter theft • maintain security • monitor employee performance
Video Monitoring cont. • There are no federal laws in place to protect against Video Monitoring • Very few employees have won privacy cases involving video surveillance
Call Monitoring • Types: • Employers monitoring phone calls • Employers obtaining phone records • perfectly legal
Monitoring Phone Calls • Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 states that employers are not allowed to monitor employees phone calls without two exceptions: • Consent exception • Business extension exception
Consent Exception • Employer needs one party to give consent for monitoring • CAREFUL!! Could be hidden in contract agreements
Business Extension Exception • No consent required • Requirements must be met: • Phone equipment must have been supplied by employer • Equipment must be used in ordinary course of business hours • Can NOT monitor personal phone calls • Can be very difficult to enforce
Employer steps to call monitoring • Identify means for which he or she will be monitoring • Do not intercept personal calls • Provide unmonitored phone line for personal calls • Make a clear and precise company policy • Only allow authorized personnel to monitor phone calls • Written consent!!!
Social Media Monitoring • Recent issue • No federal laws in place • Companies looking for unauthorized posting of company content • Mostly left to company policies • Have been court rulings AGAINST employers who fired employee for complaining over social media
GPS surveillance • Employers using GPS to track employees • Some courts have expanded from employer owned cars to employee owned cars as well • Court rulings have been in favor of employers
Ethical Issues • What is the line when it comes to Employee Monitoring? • Ethics of Employer monitoring • Ethics of Employee behavior • Technology is constantly changing • How intrusion much is too much?
References • http://www.huizenga.noba.edu/Jame/articles/employee-monitoring.cfm • http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/geoir32&div=23&id=&page= • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/000368709290006H • http://faculty.bus.olemiss.edu/breithel/final%20backup%20of%20bus620%20summer%202000%20from%20mba%20server/frankie_gulledge/employee_workplace_monitoring/employee_monitoring_privacy_in_the_workplace.htm • www.privacyrights.org/workplace-privacy-and-employee-monitoring • www.rcfp.org/rcfp/orders/docs/RECORDING.pdf • www.techrepublic.com/article/issues-to-consider-when-implementing-an-employee-monitoring-program/ • www.counsel.cua.edu/fedlaw/ecpa.cfm • www.waxingunlyrical.com/2014/02/19/3-things-dont-know-social-media-monitoring • www.webopedia.com • www.nolo.com • www.wikipedia.org