Workplace Privacy Laws and Policies

Introduction

Workplace monitoring is increasingly becoming the subject of much controversy at home, in the courts, and in the workplace itself. People are becoming more concerned with the ways in which they are monitored (knowingly or not) by their employers. As social media grows in popularity, so does the looming potential for improper postings to reach the wrong eyes and for negative consequences to ensue. Employees are becoming aware of the different ways in which their employers monitor them, with or without permission, stated in the company's contract or not (Lee & Kleiner 72).

Discussion

The National Labor Relations Board has taken action in a pivotal case in Connecticut involving how far workplace privacy extends - and appeared on the side of the employee, defending privacy rights. As the decisions in courts receive more attention, the working world begins to be increasingly structured in a manner that follows the direction provided by those courts (Lee & Kleiner 72). Being aware of the way that you are being watched in and outside of the workplace is vital to understanding what rights you have and what claims you can make regarding your personal privacy. This paper will cover the developing workplace privacy phenomena in three sections (Lee & Kleiner 72). Firstly, it will examine different techniques utilized by employers to monitor employees and the complex reasons behind monitoring. Secondly, this paper will address the issue of workplace monitoring from an employee standpoint and emphasize any legislation that gives employees protection from surveillance by employers. Thirdly, it will concentrate on the role that newly developing concerted protected activity disputes between employers and employees (Lee & Kleiner 72).

Employer Monitoring Techniques

The use of email is so pervasive in our society that has changed its incorporation modes of communication so far conceived of as normal. Similarly, it is commonplace in all businesses use email as a communication tool both internally and externally, thus bypassing the traditional media (Zwieg & Webster 633).

For most workplaces, the use of computers has become a part of business every day. As a result, more and more questions have arisen as to the legal rights of an employee to use their work computer for personal use. While many employers have developed written policies on computer use by employees who may provide some guidance in this area, employers have the discretion to control and restrict their use employee's personal computers as they see fit. As a result, you as an employee may be subject to discipline or even dismissal, if you violate your employer's policies on the use of personal computer. In most cases, the emails are not subject to personal privacy laws. As a result, employers are free to monitor and read email employees without restriction (Zwieg & Webster 633).

The theory in this situation is that the email sent by a team owned by the employer, regardless of whether the sender or recipient of the email message intended to keep its contents private (Zwieg & Webster 633). If an ...