What are the laws regarding privacy in the workplace?

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What are the laws regarding privacy in the workplace?

I was written up for not doing a specific task because my co-worker failed to do. We are both held responsible for all tasks and the employee handbook states that. We are given a nightly checklist and it is divided between the person at the desks and the person doing grounds checks. I am at the desk. We failed to do the correct amount of grounds checks within a hour and both were written up. Before I received the write-up, I was approached in the parking lot by my co-worker with a warning that we were receiving a write-up. He was told from another employee, who, is not in our chain of command. Is it legal for other employees to know of such disciplinary action?

Asked on February 25, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Alaska

Answers:

M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

Employee workplace privacy rights are virtually non-existent in private-sector employment. The reality is that most states, including AK, don't have so-called employee workplace privacy rights laws. Additionally, a situation such as this would not be covered.  The reason is that most employment arrangements are "at will".  This means an employer can hire or fire someone for any reason or no reason whatsoever, as well has increase/decrease salary/hours, promote/demote, and generally impose requirements as they deem fit.  In turn, anemployee can work for an employer or not, their choice.  Unless there was a stated company policy covering this situation, or there was a union/employment agreement to the contrary, or there was some type of discrimination involved, your employer's actions did not violate the law.


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