Avoid Legal Claims When Monitoring Employees With GPS Technologies

Tracy Moon's article "Avoid Legal Claims When Monitoring Employees With GPS Technologies" was featured on Construction Executive September 9, 2014.

Tracking and monitoring individuals’ activities is becoming more common, largely because the technology is less expensive and easier to use, and the information derived can be very interesting and beneficial.

The NFL recently announced it would be placing Radio Frequency Identification tracking chips on players during some games to generate precise positioning data. Additionally, law enforcement has been using cell phone location technologies to quickly find missing people. Like the NFL and law enforcement, employers in construction and multiple other industries are using GPS technologies to track and monitor the activities of employees when they are working away from the office.

While GPS technologies provide employers with useful information to ensure employees are properly engaged in appropriate work-related activities when they are at a jobsite or otherwise working away from the office, they also can provide information about their non-work-related activities. This is where problems can arise.

The preparation and implementation of an employee tracking and monitoring policy must be done with care to achieve a balance between protecting the legitimate business interests of the employer and the privacy rights of employees. Once a policy is implemented, it is very important that employers ensure that GPS technologies are not abused, information obtained is protected from unauthorized distribution and use, and the policy is uniformly enforced to avoid legal claims.

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This article was picked up by Risk Management Magazine on September 11, 2014.