THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THE WORKPLACE

Name

University : Webster University

Course : Ethical and Legal Issues in Management (MNGT 59 /10 /45

Tutor : Prof . Danny Kail

Date : 9 July , 2007

THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THE WORKPLACE

A workplace is an area or location that could either be temporary or permanent where workers undertake work-related duties . Workplace privacy could be described as the freedom of being left alone to exercise personal privacy without any invasion . Today , privacy has become one of the major issues of concern and in many countries , their laws have not been able

to constantly keep pace with the advances in technology hence many gaps are left open in issues of protection However , in other countries , the laws have been able to provide the adequate need of privacy both to employees and the employers HYPERLINK "http /www .privacyinternational .org /survey /phr2000 www .privacyinternational .org /survey /phr2000 / threats .htm

Individuals ' expectations concerning their privacy has been a major blow to them since the practices of work organizations have abused this privacy , hence leaving them ex posed to all forms of privacy invasion The major types include internet monitoring and filtering , drug testing , personality and psychological testing , Email monitoring , key stroke logging , closed-circuit video monitoring , phone monitoring among others . Employers on the other hand perform monitoring activities on their employees in to identify and look for alternatives to address any security risks , harassments especially sexually and to ensure that their employees perform their duties at acceptable standards . Performing these activities may however diminish and ruin employees ' dignity , morale and also accelerate the rate of worker stress ( HYPERLINK "http /www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf

The right to privacy plays a crucial role in America although it is not explicitly protected by the American constitution . These privacy rights are essential since they guarantee individuals rights to lead a private life . The United States Supreme Court defines privacy as the individuals ' right to control spread of information about them . In United States of America , government instruction is protected by constitutional privacy whereas tort law guards any private parties invasion on privacy rights ( HYPERLINK "http /www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf

Workplace violence is also a common phenomenon consisting of physical assault on individual 's , suicides , verbal abuse , beatings , rapes obscene phone calls , threats that cause psychological traumas among others Examples of violence by employees include job stress , personality conflicts , financial stress , job dispute with co-workers , adverse employment decisions , influence of drugs or alcohol or even other mental or emotional problems . On the other hand , violence could also be caused by outsiders to those in the workplace . Such violence include : domestic violence and jealousy , patient behavior moral protests , sexual harassment crimes and client frustration ( HYPERLINK "http /www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf www .hrhero .com /sample /trialworkplaceviolence .pdf

As a result of violation of these privacy rights , there has emerged a growing conflict in the modern world between the need for information and the individuals ' right...