These days, several employees have been sharing accounts of their professional lives on social media, including the challenges they face at their workplaces. A Reddit user recently revealed that his employer wants to track his phone, which he thinks is ”illegal”.
In the ‘Anti Work’ subreddit, a user named @BlueSeaChief claimed that his company demanded employees to download an app which would monitor their personal phone activities.
”My employer recently changed to wanting to use a new time card app that tracks my phone. I among others am not comfortable with them tracking our phones. However, I’m certain that trying to talk it out with higher management will be met with an “if you don’t like it then leave” answer. I’m about 95% sure that this is illegal. What should I do or who should I call?”, the Reddit post reads.
See the post here:
Company wants to track my phone.
byu/BlueSeaChief inantiwork
Since being shared, the post has gone viral, with many users offering their advice. Some slammed the company for trying to breach employees’ privacy and called the move ”illegal.”
One user wrote, ”If they want to track when you’re on or off property, then they can buy you a cheap phone that you will then keep in desk/locker. Don’t let anyone convince you to put that shit on your phone.”
Another commented, ”Yeah I would tell them I don’t have a smartphone if just saying no isn’t an option. If they’ve seen it, tell them it broke and you can’t afford a new one.”
A third said, ”I would say this is illegal since you have your phone with you always and at home.”
An HR professional commented, ”Absolutely do not agree to this! Unless the company will be paying for your phone service, they legally can’t even require you to download an app (for things like clocking in). I’m in HR in the US and have seen companies attempt this and they can’t legally force it. You would also have quite the legal case should they terminate.”
