Employee Body Cameras?

As technology becomes increasingly less expensive, employers are beginning to ponder some of the potential benefits of having workers use body cameras while on the job. As we are all well aware, there is already substantial debate as to whether police officers and other law enforcement officials should wear such devices. The debate is now extending beyond that sector into a number of other areas of the workforce. Most notably, there is now a question as to whether teachers, doctors, and nurses should be required to use body cameras. An interesting Op-Ed in the LA Times takes on this question. From the piece:

“Currently, parents who insist their children are innocent or are being excessively punished for minor offenses have no evidence. . . Make teachers wear body cameras, and parents would see and hear exactly what the teacher heard and saw. An overreaction? Keep in mind, a growing body of evidence shows that school punishments do long-term damage.”

The entire issue seems a bit Orwellian, but at the same time, the relatively low cost of body cameras may seem quite attractive to a number of employers trying to limit their liability in other areas. The obvious privacy questions abound, and there are likely to be a host of other issues raised by the increased use of these technologies.

– Joe Seiner