When your boss decides to implement a new policy, the easiest thing to do is simply agree. Even if you question their judgment or know there’s a better way, it’s not always worth it to expend energy arguing.
But when one lawyer’s boss decided to enact a policy that she considered a violation of boundaries, she refused to sit back and go along with it. Below, you’ll find the full story that the woman recently posted on Reddit detailing her boss’ big idea, as well as some of the replies readers shared.
Employers are always looking for new ways to improve productivity
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But when this woman’s boss decided to start tracking employees, she refused to comply
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Later, the lawyer added some more details about the situation
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Employers are allowed to track company devices
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Location tracking can be extremely useful if your child starts taking a little too long to get home from school or your spouse never seems to answer their phone. It’s nice to be able to check in on a loved one and make sure that they’re where they’re supposed to be. And if they’re not, well, it can be extremely important to be able to find them.
But would you let your boss track your location? According to Simply Unified, whether or not employers should be able to track their employees on their personal phones is a bit of a gray area. Companies are allowed to keep an eye on their workers in terms of anything that has to do with their actual work. For example, if they’re using the internet, sending emails or driving a company vehicle, they should expect to be monitored.
When it comes to personal phones, however, bosses will not be allowed to track location and usage unless the employee has given them permission. Now, there are some benefits for employers who are able to track their workers. CompanyMileage notes that this can allow bosses to verify travel expenses, improve efficiency and monitor workers for compliance purposes.
It’s valid to have security concerns about tracking apps
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However, legal issues can arise when bosses try to track an employee’s personal devices, especially when the worker is off the clock. For this reason, CompanyMileage recommends only monitoring employees “to the extent in which it’s necessary by your business.” It’s definitely not necessary to keep an eye on them at all hours, and it may not even be required to know exactly what they’re doing during every minute of the work day.
One of the issues that the lawyer in this story had with being tracked on Life360 was the potential for a data breach. And this is a valid concern, especially considering that it wouldn’t be the first time. In July, a database containing emails, phone numbers and full names of 442,519 Life360 users was leaked onto the dark web, Tech Radar reports.
Experts spoke to Security Magazine about the breach, noting that it likely occurred due to a lack of multi-factor authentication in the Life360 app. Logging in with simply a username and password makes it far too easy for hackers to get access. And even though the information leaked in this case was not particularly sensitive, victims may still feel violated knowing that their information is in the hands of “in the hands of cybercriminals,” Cybersecurity Evangelist Anne Cutler told Security Magazine.
Micromanaging employees is never a good idea
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“All organizations have an inherent obligation to protect their users and their users’ data. When a company is a custodian of personal information, it requires a much higher bar for security and monitoring than other types of organizations,” Cutler shared. “Companies should regularly audit their data inventory to not only ensure compliance, but to also make sure that they are only retaining the sensitive data that is required.”
There are other potential issues with Life360 as well. UMobix notes on their site that the company has also been caught selling the data locations of their users to third parties. The company creates a false sense of security by marketing itself as a safe option for parents who want to keep an eye on their kids, when in reality, it’s just a company keeping an eye on millions around the globe.
Some also believe that, instead of improving relationships, tracking apps like Life360 can actually erode trust. And the same can be said in the workplace. It’s widely known that micromanaging employees can hurt morale, waste managers’ time, increase turnover rates, cause manager burnout and create dependent employees. Is all of that really worth it just to know exactly where your workers are every minute of every day?
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation below, pandas. Then, feel free to check out another Bored Panda article discussing GPS tracking!
Readers called out the employer for his unreasonable request, and many noted that they would not agree to this either
