Privacy

In the workplace of the 21st century, many experts believe that privacy - especially data privacy - will be one of the key issues for employers and employees. Have you covered these issues in your business continuity plan? If not, read this week's articles and consider whether privacy should have a more prominent role in your plan.

Read this article for the latest on key privacy issues. (Item #1)   In your attempts to maintain employee privacy, be careful not to create a hostile environment. (Item #2)   Do you understand the concept of a reasonable expectation of privacy? (Item #3)  

Can you use information found online to fire, suspend, etc., an employee? (Item #4)   Privacy is the hot workplace issue of the 21st century. (Item #5)   Data privacy issues are prolific. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Privacy Today: A Review of Current Issues

The purpose of this report is to highlight and summarize key privacy issues affecting consumers today and tomorrow. Readers who want to explore issues in depth should visit the Web sites of government agencies, public interest groups, industry associations, and companies.
https://www.privacyrights.org/ar/privacy-issueslist.htm

2. Workplace Privacy Issues: Employee Privacy

These employee privacy rights workplace intrusions are predicted to increase as time goes on. When dealing with privacy issues in workplace situations, employers are duty bound to maintain an environment that is not hostile to workers.
http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/workplace-privacy-issues.html

3. Basic Privacy Issues in the Workplace

Generally speaking, privacy rights are granted (if at all) by specific laws, rules, or regulations. Some of those rights apply in the workplace and some don't. And even if there is no specific law, a right to privacy can be based on the legal common law concept of having a "reasonable expectation of privacy." Privacy issues have become increasingly prevalent in the workplace, and with the increased use of electronic resources, privacy at work is even more complex. So it is important that managers and supervisors have a basic understanding of a few of the more frequent privacy rights and issues that can arise, as well as the boundaries that may apply.
http://www.allbusiness.com/labor-employment/labor-regulation-policy-employee-privacy/7869527-1.html

4. Online Privacy in the Workplace

The issue of privacy and online presence has been at the forefront of many debates over the past year as many more employers and others are using the information found online as a way of gauging a person or perhaps even disciplining their actions. This is a legal issue as many of those posts, pictures, thoughts and videos individuals put on social media sites are those of a personal nature and are not typically indicative of their work or school.
http://www.youblawg.com/privacy/online-privacy-in-the-workplace

5. Privacy - A Hot Workplace Issue

Plaintiff's lawyers, the attorneys who represent employees, predict that privacy will surpass wrongful termination as the hot workplace issue of the 21st century. Yet the concept of privacy is so broad and so elusive, it's difficult even to define. Privacy rights come up in situations involving drug testing, blogs, searches of electronic mail and files, hair and dress codes, arrest records, credit reports and other off-duty conduct.
http://www.fairmeasures.com/issues/privacy/

6. Data Privacy

In a world where literally everything you do can leave a digital fingerprint, nothing strikes a visceral chord among web users more than the issue of privacy. There is very little that one can do in complete anonymity when it comes to surfing the web. It is only a question of how willing various data collectors are in maintaining the privacy of users. The potential for abuse is enormous.
http://digitalenterprise.org/privacy/privacy.html