Technology Privacy That You Need to Be Aware of at the Workplace
Privacy at the workplace is one thing that most employees do not know they have a right to. Personalities such as Trevor Hughes have taken part in discussions regarding the privacy of employees. As the use of technologies such as computers and mobile phones, the topic has become even more controversial. Thanks to technology, today, employers can monitor the movement of the employees at the workplace. In most cases, this has led to increased productivity.
Most employees feel that it is an absolute violation of their privacy rights. Interestingly, the law allows it: but with some exceptions. Trevor Hughes would point out that employees’ private rights cover private conversation at the workplace and private spaces. Here is an in-depth insight into employee privacy linked to technology.
1. Phone call and voicemail
Employers are allowed to monitor or record the conversations that employees have with their clients at the workplace. Employers are in all technology conscious organizations using electronic surveillance practices. This is to stay in touch with their employees’ phone conversations to stay updated on their business operations.
But to what extent is monitoring of employees’ conversations allowed? There are legal limits to employers monitoring their employees’ phone usage. The law provides that employees’ private conversations on the phone should not be monitored whether or not the employee is at the organizations’ premises or not. Also, the employee must be aware that the call he or she is on is being monitored. The employee also has to be comfortable with the fact that the call is being monitored.
Employers also have to abide by the laws that cover the protection of information gathered during the call monitoring process. The employer may be forced to pay hefty fines for disclosing, deleting, or reading employees’ voicemail messages.
2. Internet usage
We live in the digital era. The use of the internet in the workplace is extensive. The increase in the use of the internet has also led to the birth of a stream of challenges, linked to privacy. The number of hackers continues to increase every other day. While that may be the case, employers are obliged to protect the employees’ data when they are using the organization computer systems. This is by exercising cybersecurity. It is also important to note that employers have the right to block employees from accessing specific websites, using the organization’s computers, and also limiting the time they spend on a particular website.
3. Emails
Emails are one of the topics that have brought legal controversy. Are employers allowed to monitor the emails of the employees? The answer is yes if the employees are sending emails using the organization’s computer system. The purpose of this is usually to ensure that the employees are not participating in any form of misconduct.
Employee private rights at the workplace are clear and specific to different organizations. To ensure that your technology privacy rights are not violated, you have to stay in touch with employment laws by attending Trevor Hughes conferences and workshops. If they are being violated, do not hesitate to talk to an employment attorney.
