Call Tracking: Legal Issues for Employers

Tracking targets through global positioning system or GPS was developed by the U.S. military in the early 1970s. This technology has also been used by 911 to locate callers in case of emergency. However, companies have been tracking activities of their employees to increase their efficiency at work and reduce losses. In absence of any particular law that prohibits the use of GPS devices on cellphones, computers and vehicles; employers need to be careful with their tracking activities to avoid infringing on privacy of their employees. 

Expecting Right to Privacy
One way to avoid being charged with privacy violations is to reduce the expectations of employees regarding their privacy issues. This begins at the hiring process, when the employees are notified about potential monitoring of their computers and calls at work. Keeping them informed of call tracking activities will give the employers room to maneuver and decrease the chances of getting fined. The right to privacy is one that all normal people expect without exceptions. There’s nothing worse than having your privacy invaded or tampered with. The fact is, people strive to ensure their data remains safe.
Tracking for Purpose
Computer or call tracking – phones or cellphones – in offices should be carried out for a proper reason. In a cellphone tracking is possible when the company provides is employees with tracking devices installed in their gadgets, which should be activated after informing the employees. Regarding the extent of monitoring varied out by companies in the U.S., National Work Rights Institute has issued a report, which said that by monitoring activities of employees during their off-duty time reveal much about their personal lives, which is invasion of privacy and liable to be sued. Therefore, employers need to clearly demarcate their tracking activities to avoid any law suit.

Benefits of Tracking
One should not only criticize the tracking activities of employers, as monitoring has also brings potential benefits to the company. By monitoring the computers, employers not only find out about the productivity of employees, but they can also ensure company secrets and confidential data is not shared with rivals. Similarly, cellphone monitoring enables employers to stay informed about employees’ activities outside the office premises, especially those employees who are supposed to work in the field. Tracking also helps employers to know if any employee is planning to leave the company. In such a situation the employer has an opportunity to make suitable changes to retain the employee – if the employee is productive for company – or find a replacement in due time.   But have you ever imagined how tracking and monitoring be possible without the help of Global Position System or GPS. If the user has deactivated the GPS on its smartphone, then there are very few chances that you can track their movements. In such a situation the tracker installed inside the phone will be highly beneficial. Any spy software installed inside the smartphone will give you complete record of the user's activities along with the voice calls and text messages he or she makes.  

Author Bio:

David Kendall contributed this guest post on behalf of WhoIsHostingThis.com – see the Site5.com reviews. David is a freelance technology writer whose articles appear on various technology blogs.