How are new technologies affecting methods of employer supervision in the workplace?

"Employees have always been subject to supervision in the workplace, but new technologies are changing the ways that employers monitor employees both in the workplace and outside of the workplace, in part because employees are increasingly likely to work at home or conduct business during "off-work" time. Among the new technologies being used are global positioning satellites to allow employers to track employee locations, biometrics to insure accurate identification of employees, and computer software that tracks employee keystrokes, time spent downloading, and web sites visited. For the most part, courts have upheld the right of employers to use such technologies to monitor employees. However, there is evidence that employees feel stress and decreased loyalty because of the constant monitoring and the atmosphere of distrust created by this type of employer conduct."

L. Camille Hébert
Carter C. Kissell Professor of Law