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Nobody should have to worry that their boss is spying on them in the bathroom. Sounds illegal, right?
Yet, employers can do just that, using technology – such as wearable trackers, heat sensors, facial and retinal sensors and other tools – to strip away their employees’ private moments, whether it is in their car, the break room or the bathroom.
Think this doesn’t affect you? Think again. A report from ExpressVPN found that nearly 80% of employers use some form of monitoring software to track employee performance.
Not only does this allow bosses to creep on their employees, but it also allows them to monitor when their workers are organizing and engaging in lawful unionizing activity – setting the boss up to engage in union-busting tactics.
While California law bans employers from placing audio or video recording devices in sensitive locations, such as bathrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms, the law simply has not caught up with modern day workplace surveillance technology.
California Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, D-Los Angeles, is looking to rectify that with a new bill, Assembly Bill 1331.
AB 1331 bans California employers from using invasive surveillance technology to monitor their workers in private, off-duty areas, such as the break room, the bathroom or an employee’s personal vehicle. The bill also requires workplace surveillance tools to be disabled during a worker’s off-duty hours.
AB 1331 will give workers the peace of mind that they deserve that when they are at home with their families, or using the bathroom, that their boss isn’t there watching them.
Note that this bill does NOT ban employers from using surveillance tools to monitor their employees. Under AB 1331, your boss can still monitor your movements when you are on the clock. It simply prohibits employers from invading their workers’ personal, private spaces.
Support AB 1331: Keep your boss out of your business. |
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In Solidarity, Lorena Gonzalez |
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