Employers literally have the right to invade a great amount of your personal space. They literally own the office, the phone, the computer, and, most importantly your time, or in a sense you. An employer can do just about anything to an employee as long as it's not done in a discriminatory manner. .
It's hard to imagine, as employees, that we have so few privacy rights in the workplace. It's difficult to point out exactly what led to this stage. During the "50s, "60s, "70s, and partial "80s, an employer's value towards their employees was much different. There was a real sense that an employer needed us. During the early "70's, wages were at an all time high in real dollars. A typical family was able to live on a single income. .
A lot has since changed. Good paying jobs are no longer easily found. "Since 1973, wages alone have slipped dramatically, with the exception of the last 18 months" (Workplace Privacy, 1998). An employers and employees relationship has changed dramatically, mainly due to advancements in automation, corporate consolidations, and the markets competitiveness. In addition, employers have outsourced more and more of their jobs in order to avoid benefits, discourage unions, minimize long-term commitments and the ability to, more easily, invade our privacy. .
Business owners have stated that they need to infringe on their employee's privacy because of the nature of the business. Operating business costs are at an all time high, employers cannot afford to lose any type of employment lawsuit, and the need to protect trade secrets is vital to the success of a business. "Employers are under unprecedented pressure to be productive", explains Lewis Maltby, director of the ACLU's Workplace Rights Office. "But instead of responding by empowering their workers to be more creative, they've cracked down with sweatshop techniques. It's just like the 1920s, except by electronic means" (Privacy in America, 1998).
