Workplace Privacy - Thesis Example

In this scenario, the extent to which an employee can monitor and where he needs to draw a line is a major concern for both employers and employees. Employers find it crucial to monitor their workplaces due to fraud and theft, productivity, security concerns which stem from internal workforce either directly or indirectly. They utilize monitoring methods and application that range from telephone monitoring to genetic testing. On the other hand, employees regard it as intrusive monitoring that invades their right to privacy without reasonable justification.

Though the right to privacy is not explicitly given in U.S. Constitution, there are certain amendments (1st, 4th, and 9th) and Acts that ensure employees privacy rights. However these conflicting interests give rise to legal issues and lawsuits from employees in United States. This paper analyses the idea of workplace privacy, some of its legal and technological aspects, gives an in-depth review of employers and employees perspective on the issue, and considering the complex nature of the privacy in workplace.

It is inferred that employers and government should collectively fill the gaps between law and emerging technology related privacy issues for better workplace. 2. Defining workplace privacy There are a number of ways to define privacy. Earlier definition of privacy concentrated on a person’s right to his individual privacy which refers to his right to be alone and at a distance from other people(Chapin 164;Bates 839).However, research on this perception soon expanded and a person’s environment is also included as an element in the discussion of privacy(Bellingar and Virginia 2).

Spreading it further Schwartz stated:“