As I write this post, the U.S. v. Belgium match is underway – a win is needed by the United States to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup. Most watching the game may not realize that GPS technology will be monitoring just about every movement taken by U.S. players on the field
Monitoring
Restaurant Stakeout: A Sign of the Times for Workplace Monitoring?
The last couple of times I passed by the TV to see what the kids were watching, I was surprised not to see Spongebob Squarepants or the Yankee game (Michael and Grace have their separate interests, but they usually can agree on something, at least in the short term). Anyway, they happened to be intently…
The K5 Autonomous Data Machine Might Soon Be Securing and Monitoring Your Business
Developed by Knightscope, the K5 Autonomous Data Machine is a 5 foot tall, 300 pound robotic device designed to be “a safety and security tool for corporations, as well as for schools and neighborhoods,” as reported by the New York Times. While K5 may not yet be ready for prime time, its developers…
Oklahoma Joins Growing Number of States Limiting Employer Access To Personal Social Media Accounts
Add Oklahoma to the list of states prohibiting employers from requesting or demanding access to the personal social media accounts of employees or applicants. Signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin, H.B. 2372 becomes effective November 1, 2014.
In addition to being prohibited from requesting or demanding usernames or passwords from employees or applicants to…
Louisiana Follows Wisconsin and Tennessee in Protecting Employee and Student Personal Online Account Access Information
Following the enactment of similar laws in Wisconsin and Tennessee earlier this year, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed HB 340, the Personal Online Account Privacy Protection Act, into law prohibiting employers and schools in Louisiana from demanding access to personal email, social media and other types of online accounts. The Act applies to…
Volunteer State (Tennessee) Prohibits Employers From Asking Employees, Applicants to Volunteer Access to Social Media, Internet Accounts
Effective January 1, 2015, Tennessee employers, including government entities, will be prohibited from requesting or requiring access to the private social networking or online accounts of employees and job applicants under the Volunteer State’s “Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014,” signed by Governor Bill Haslam. Our Tennessee colleagues outline the key provisions of the law…
Employers, the NLRB Wants Some Control Over Your Company Email
You’ve just finished your email, electronic communications, social media and/or BYOD policies for employees assuming, among other things, that you did not have to permit employees to use company-provided communication systems for nonwork-related purposes, such as to fulfill certain union-related purposes or other “protected concerted activities” under for Section 7 of the National Labor Relations…
Wisconsin Enacts Internet Privacy Protection Law
Wisconsin enacted a new law on April 8, 2014 prohibiting employers, educational institutions, and landlords from requesting or requiring access to personal Internet accounts. The new law, codified at Wis. Stat. Section 995.55, defines “personal Internet account” as any Internet-based account that is created and used by an individual exclusively for the purpose of personal…
Interception Does Not Include Access to E-Mail Account
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama recently held in Bruce v. McDonald that the “mere access” of an e-mail account and subsequent printing/possession of e-mails from the same account did not constitute an “interception” in violation of the federal Wiretap Act.
Under the Wiretap Act, as amended by the
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Another Employer’s Social Media Policy Is Found Unlawful By An NLRB Administrative Law Judge
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) continues to be active in its review of employer social media policies. In recent years, the NLRB’s review of social media policies has focused largely on whether an employee would reasonably construe the language of the policy as prohibiting him or her from engaging in activity protected by Section…