Worker Privacy: You Have None

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Wired publishs this article by Joanna Glasner Worker Privacy: You Have None

"If you have internet access at work, there's a very good chance your employer has a system in place to monitor your online activities.

So, if you're concerned about privacy, take heed. Under current U.S. law, there's little you can do to protect the confidentiality of your internet use on the job. Here's a rundown of the rights you don't have at work.

Notice of monitoring: Only two states (Connecticut and Delaware) require that employers inform workers if they are monitoring online activity, according to Jeremy Gruber, legal director, the National Workrights Institute. Federal legislation requiring such disclosure has been proposed but not enacted.

That said, most employers do provide notice to employees if they track workplace web use. In an employer survey conducted this year by the American Management Association and the ePolicy Institute, 89 percent of respondents said they notify employees if their web usage is being tracked.

Privacy outside the office: More workers are telecommuting these days, often using laptops and other portable devices provided by their employer. But leaving the office doesn't guarantee freedom from internet surveillance..."

Full article at Wired.com