Privacy Rights in The Workplace: Is There a Law Against This?

Based on surveys made, the privacy rights in the workplace of employees in the private sector practically do not exist. Employers install electronic surveillance gadgets in their office to monitor the movement of their personnel. The worst part is that the installation of these electronic surveillance gadgets has no consent of the workers. In the event that this is discovered the employees contend that their privacy rights in the workplace were violated

We cannot discount the possibility that installation of these electronic devices is one of the protective measures these businesses install to protect their assets. More often than not, privacy rights in the workplace are violated because of these electronic gadgets. It became too easy for employers to peek into the personal lives of their employees. They are into monitoring even their employees’email messages, web surfing activities, video surveillance screen shots, computer files and keyboard time, thereby violating the privacy rights in the workplace.

Employers were able to install surveillance cameras due to some loopholes in enforcing the Federal regulation regarding “employee workplace privacy rights law”. This law generally forbids the use of electronic surveillance equipment. Some US states do not enforce this particular Federal law. On the other hand, US states that impose this law are said to be lax or weak in enforcing the employee privacy rights in the workplace.

When confronted by authorities, employers are merely required to inform their employees that an electronic surveillance system was installed in the office and that the equipment does not exist in dressing areas. Since no punishment or heavy penalty is meted, it can be presumed that the installation of electronic surveillance is legal and the employees’ privacy rights in the workplace are not violated

On their part, employees should be careful not to violate company polices or their employer’s work ethics in order to avoid being terminated for reasonable cause. This further prevents them from incessantly using the web to air employee grievances. They will be forced to observe the proper rule regarding bringing their complaints to the proper venues for settling disputes. 

As long as there are no specific laws covering these electronic surveillance gadgets its use in the business premises will continue. There is always the possibility that employee’s privacy rights in the workplace will be violated either directly or indirectly, to the point of being abused. At the moment, all we can do is hope that some lawmakers will fight for the passing of a bill that will protect privacy rights in the workplace.  

Ethics dictate that it is not proper to stick your nose in other people’s private affair because you will not want the same thing to happen to you either. There should be a specific limit of what is allowed and what is not when crossing the line of privacy rights in the workplace.  This way, employees will feel more comfortable working for their present employers. 

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