Right of Privacy Extension in the Workplace

Assignment 08: Right of privacy in the workplace
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Background
The debate surrounding the right of privacy in the workplace has received renewed attention, with increased use of electronic communication that has facilitated monitoring. There are two opposing camps on the issue where there is growing intrusiveness of privacy in the workplace. On the contrary, there are others who believe that the right or privacy is under attack more than ever before and should be respected in the workplace (Hansson & Palm, 20050. There are risks to the breach of privacy, including misuse of information, identity theft, and violation of employee confidentiality. There are moral, legal and ethical implications for supporting and breaching the right of privacy in the workplace.
Opinion
The right of privacy ought to be maintained, but employers also reserve the right to monitor employees depending on the circumstances, as they use the organization resources. Employers rely on technology monitoring to provide records employees and this is useful when reviewing performance and conduct. At other times, there may be a need for evidence in cases of lawsuits or investigations. However, organizations have policy regulations that influence decision making on employee monitoring and this needs to be respected. Nonetheless, employers are not to search and monitor employees excessively, since they are safeguarded from unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment. Employees engaging in activities that harm, cause damage or impact negatively on the business are more likely to be monitored. This includes substance abuse testing, as this affected the employees’ judgment, decision making and ability to work while harming their health.
Examples
Electronic monitoring is permissible in the workplace employees to use an organization’s computers computer resources. This includes internet and email use, and they are monitored when employers believe that they are used for other purposes other than business (Yerby, 2013). The employers have to be certain what constitutes their property and monitor their use to avoid abuse and misuse by the employees. There are cases when employees engage in illegal businesses, and electronic monitoring helps in gathering information and evidence. At other times, employees may spend excessive times on the internet, and employers have a right to limit their online activities. This right does not extend to preventing, deleting or even disclosing personal information accessed after electronic monitoring.
Employers have concerns that romance in the workplace might result in conflicts of interest and at times sexual harassment (Hansson & Palm, 20050. There is also risk that when the workplace relationships fail this could potentially cause friction among employees. While the right to be left alone signals that there is legal protection romance in the workplace, the circumstances need t...