Workplace Privacy

Privacy can be viewed as an individual entitlement and, therefore, as a fundamental right, or as one interest to be balanced against others. Privacy in the workplace concerns the balance between the employee’s right to personal space and the management of his or her personal information with the employer’s right to manage that workplace and to make effective decisions. Some ways to gather information about employees may focus on inappropriate information, or the employer may use methods that are unreasonable or intrusive. Yet the employer also has legitimate reasons to want to know as much about the employee as possible. At the same time, the employee wants to prevent unreasonable intrusions. Advances in technology have muddied the issue because they allow for access to information ...