Tracy
Moon's article "Avoid Legal Claims When
Monitoring Employees With GPS Technologies" was featured
onConstruction Executive September 9, 2014.
Tracking and monitoring individuals' activities is becoming
more common, largely because the technology is less expensive and
easier to use, and the information derived can be very interesting
and beneficial.
The NFL recently announced it would be placing Radio Frequency
Identification tracking chips on players during some games to
generate precise positioning data. Additionally, law enforcement
has been using cell phone location technologies to quickly find
missing people. Like the NFL and law enforcement, employers in
construction and multiple other industries are using GPS
technologies to track and monitor the activities of employees when
they are working away from the office.
While GPS technologies provide employers with useful information
to ensure employees are properly engaged in appropriate
work-related activities when they are at a jobsite or otherwise
working away from the office, they also can provide information
about their non-work-related activities. This is where problems can
arise.
The preparation and implementation of an employee tracking and
monitoring policy must be done with care to achieve a balance
between protecting the legitimate business interests of the
employer and the privacy rights of employees. Once a policy is
implemented, it is very important that employers ensure that GPS
technologies are not abused, information obtained is protected from
unauthorized distribution and use, and the policy is uniformly
enforced to avoid legal claims.
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