Your Rights During Work Searches
Every employee has the right to privacy in the workplace. Today, many employers have come up with different methods for searching their employees. On the other hand, an employer has the right to search your office desk and computers. Further, he or she has the right to monitor company emails and company phone calls. However, the employer should not intrude to employees’ rights. In fact, your employer has no right to search your personal possessions like handbags, private emails, personal telephone conversations etc. When working for any particular company, you need to know some of your rights during work searches;
An employer has no right to detain employees
The labor laws do not allow employers to detain their employees when conducting searches. For example; if you are an accountant and the books of accounts are not balancing, the owner of the company should not detain you in the name of conducting searches. Likewise, if an employer keeps the worker away from the area of search or gives mental pressure to the employee, one has the right to sue that employer.
A search should not be done without enough grounds for suspicion
When working for a service company as an accountant, other working tools could be stolen. Since the company has different departments, the employer should not conduct searches to all employees in different departments. It is recommended that he or she limits the search to the specific department concerned like the technical department. Likewise, if some accounting figures are not adding up, the employer should limit the search to the accountant and not the technicians. Searching all employees when there are reasonable grounds to hold only a portion of some employees responsible could amount to violation of employee rights.
Intrusive searches are not allowed
An employer has no right to physically search your body. In fact, there some instances where an employee is forced to unclothe in changing areas. This is not acceptable hence the employee has the right to sue his or her employer if this occurs.
Circumstances under which the employer can search an employee in the company
All employers in private and public companies have the right to conduct searches. However, there are two factors that must be taken into consideration. First, one must understand the reason for the search where the employer can conduct searches to recover some items. Secondly, you should be aware of what the employer is searching. For instance, an employer cannot search for a computer in other people belongings.
In a nut shell; if your rights to privacy are being violated and you have enough grounds to prove it, you should seek for the services of an attorney for further advice. It’s recommended that you understand your rights during work searches as well as your employer’s rights.
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