Privacy Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

Introduction Individuals living in communities. Business as a competitive enterprise. – Need for monitoring and enforcement of rules – Need to hire and fire employees based on information Business and Government – Should government play a role in protecting (or not protecting) employee privacy?

Employee Privacy Three Definitions – The right to be left alone – The right to have control over personal Information – A right not to have undocumented personal information known by others

Value of Privacy Utilitarian Arguments – Costs and benefits of respecting employee privacy Kantian Arguments – Treat persons with dignity – Treat persons as ends never as means. Lockean Arguments – Personal Information as Private Property

Steps toward a Policy The purpose for information gathering. – Is gathering the information worth the cost of gathering it? The means used to gather information. – Does the employee know that certain information will be accessed? Accuracy, completeness, and access. – Is the information gathered Complete, true, and who shall have access to that information.

Some Issues Pre-Employment Screening – Internet Searches – Facebook, Twitter, etc Monitoring computer use in the workplace. – Non-work-related usage Social networking Private Surveillance cameras in the workplace – Employee safety – Monitor employee behavior Theft Use of health related information – Health insurance Testing – Drug Testing – Honesty Testing

Approaches Stockholder Theory – Market-Based – Contractual Stakeholder Theory – Duty-Based