Electronic Surveillance of Employees

Electronic Surveillance of Employees

Rossana Bracho

Strayer University

Assignment # 1- Electronic Surveillance of Employees

Explain where an employee can reasonably expect to have privacy in the workplace. Human beings have reasonably expected privacy. Each individual has unique/independent rights and duties that are followed in accordance with norms and rules depending on the environment in which to unfold. It is obvious that it is important for a human being to defend its privacy and safeguard any area of his or her life (personal or business). Among many important features in human behavior are emotional peace and tranquility which are going to depend on privacy rights and the way they will handle daily situations. People think that they have privacy in their workplaces if we refer to everyday situations such as lunchtime. Many companies have a room for employees to take their lunch where the employees do not expect to be monitored through electronic surveillance (cameras and audio) because this is a basic need of an individual.

It is clear that today the reality is different in the workplace where there is basically no privacy. This is happening because companies through the establishment of policies and rules take refuge to maintain control and supervision of everything that happens within the organization. Additionally, the majority of these measures are covered under legal rules established on the federal or state level.

Businesses justify electronic surveillance in a number of ways. It is a form of quality control, enabling supervisors to better correct and improve employee performance. It both measures and encourages efficiency. It enhances the completeness and fairness of personnel evaluations. It can uncover employee disloyalty, which can take the form of stealing tangible items, such as products and supplies, or intangibles, such as trade secrets. (1)

The 1968 Federal Wiretap Law, as amended by the Electronic Communication Privacy Act...