Question for you all. What do you know about employers who secretly listen in to their employees? What are the laws regarding employee surveillance? If employers are tapping employee conversations or some such, are they required to make that known?
I think morally, it’s disgusting when there has been nothing to justify it. No thefts, no sabotage, nothing done to harm the employer. But still, conversations in the workplace are routinely amplified, recorded, and otherwise spied upon. I can understand if there is a history of theft or undermining the business, but without that?
At best it is cowardly. At worst, without informing the employees, could it be illegal? Just wondering what you all think.
I think it sucks, personally. However, according to my employer, anything done with or on company equipment, is open to such, and using the company equipment is agreeing to such. However, that policy is well known and understood.
For the most part, Prairie, the actions you described are lawful to the best of my knowledge. This may be changing, but at present the drill goes as follows: if the employee is “on the clock”, then his/her total loyalties belong to the employer. This includes, among other things, not “wasting time” by having conversations between/among employees on any matter that isn’t work related, and having personal calls on company time, whether on the employer’s telecon equipment (btw, subject to snooping, no realistic expectation of privacy and all that) or personally. This, of course, is in the absence of any contract providing otherwise.
Kansas is an “at will” state, so one is always at peril when at work. Just a thought.
Where I work those are pretty much the rules we have to abide by. Anything done on company time is subject to review by the company,and we have to sign an agreement stating we are aware of the rules and abiding by them is a condition of employment
It was brought up while I worked at Wal-Mart, I don’t think it was at a Wal-Mart but there was a case where the employer was video taping and doing audio in the employee’s bathroom.
Now the camera was set up so it did not show anyone in the stalls but outside them and the audio would pick up anything said in the bathroom.
The court ruled it was legal since the bathroom is on the employer’s property and the employees are on the clock while going to the bathroom. I do know that Wal-Mart often used the cameras to check on employees and to track their movements.
I did have one member of management that if he saw me talking to even a customer he would step in between the customer and me and tell me to get back to work! It happened several times and one customer called Bentonville about him.
Following an inadvertent peek at Defense Department data, Boeing executives believe the Air Force is likely to award the long-awaited tanker contract to Airbus parent company EADS, according to a leading defense analyst with close ties to Boeing.
When I think of World War II – I think about the soldiers that fought in the war. But I also think about the everyday Americans that were back home doing their part to help win that war.
And why is that not recognized? Rosie Riveters were a big contribution to the war effort. Every American that bought a war bond were a big contribution to the war effort.
Every American that sacrificed during that time did their contribution to the war effort.
And that is exactly what it is going to take to get this country united again. But we have too many who are so quick to dismiss another person because of the God they worship or do not worship – their political party – or the color of the skin.
I don’t think anyone has forgotten the prices or sacrifices of the entire country during WWII.
Gold star mothers and in a real way Rosie play such a key role in the struggle for women’s equality.
LOL I have often said who ever called women the weaker sex have never carried a toddler on their hip for two hours of walking through a Mall!
It truly is the greatest generation in so many ways, I have gotten the privilege of meeting several.
A wasp, the women who flew aircraft and some faired planes to Europe.
One guy who landed at Normandy and managed to there for a day and a half before he was knocked unconscious and injured by a German shell hitting the tank trap he was hiding behind.
A guy who at 16 ran off to Canada and lied about his age then joined the RAF and when to England.
He fought in the battle for Britain, flew all the well known fighters from the P-40 to the P-51.
Shot down more then once.
Grandma told me stories of the home front and of my Uncle Ray who served in Europe.
How she and her friends would do without and still manage to keep food on the table and live a good life.
Dealing with the knowledge of her son was in War and how you had to not let it control every thought and keep the world as sane as possible.
While admitting my ignorance of Florida Civil Procedure, the following came to mind as I read the link and the Order therein included: a) This was on defendants Motion to Dismiss (filed prior to answering or otherwise pleading, usually on the grounds that the Petition/Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, lack of jurisdiction, etc.), and not a Motion for Summary Judgment (normally filed after the issues have been joined and discovery conducted); b) the cited rule, by its title, appears to apply to the use of affidavits as a part of a Motion for Summary Judgment, and, without more, I am constrained from saying this rule would apply to a Motion to Dismiss.
Without more known to me, the Order did not appear to be egregious in any way.
LOL it will not get me or truly surprise me considering their past track record.
But if some time today the Republican leadership comes out stating they can not support Obama’s extension of the Tax cuts!
That it is fiscally ill reasonable and would add trillions to the debt!
wow 6,
that reply made my head hurt. I will admit to not really reading the whole thing. The order is catching a little bit of a buzz in the econ blogosphere. So it’s no big deal?
It doesn’t appear to be facially. As I said before, I’m ignorant of Florida Rules of Procedure, so there may well be something that I missed.
BTW, I read some of the comments to the link, and there seems to be confusion about the order, etc. I didn’t read the order as broadly as others seem to, so who knows.
LOL they were talking bad about Obama last night of Fox for not thanking the Cons for their part in the tax cuts then later for adding trillions to the debt.
OMG how they will be talking to night with him referring to them as “Hostage takers”!
AWOL today (hospital from 7 am to 6 pm), and that might happen more. The bone biopsy went OK, but we don’t have the pathologist results so we’re still waiting. Lots of waiting. Hang in here with me guys. I’ll be back!
By the way, caught’s Obama press conference and, as infuriating as it is, what he’s saying is logically correct.
We have the bad fortune to have economic extortionists elected and, while the continuing of the upper-class tax cuts will continue the deterioration of the middle class, the expiration of unemployment benefits and the tax cuts for those who struggling with new poverty would have had an effect both devasting and immediate. The cut in payroll taxes caught me off guard; while it will bring the Social Security “crisis” soon than 2037, it will put more $$ in working people’s pockets in the short run, so ,perhaps, the next two years will not be as dismal either for the economy or democracy as anticipated.
And, perhaps as importantly, not only has the Republicans’ fake piety on deficits been punctured, it looks like after the Gergen-heads had dominated the discourse with the same Orwellian nonsense of last month, the narrative has been changed, slightly.
Granted, I may be biased because, quite frankly, he seemed to take the words out of my mouth: this is about real people, and real consequences.
Yes President Obama says this was the best that could be, and further he states all the ramifications we can clearly see — eroding social security further, allowing the greedy time to make these tax cuts permanent so the income divide can be widened and the pesky middle class decimated — won’t happen. He says in two years he’ll fight against them being extended.
May I remind you he said for the two years he campaigned and for the almost two years he’s been in office they wouldn’t be extended this time.
Monitoring? Heh, that’s both amusing and expected, but, just speaking for myself, I think you’re responsible for your own soul here. Fnord is ultimate arbiter of course, and I think everyone respects that.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Thank you to all who answer the call to duty.
May GOD bless
does that also go for those soldiers’ wives and families? They serve also.
Don’t ever forget that.
Question for you all. What do you know about employers who secretly listen in to their employees? What are the laws regarding employee surveillance? If employers are tapping employee conversations or some such, are they required to make that known?
I think morally, it’s disgusting when there has been nothing to justify it. No thefts, no sabotage, nothing done to harm the employer. But still, conversations in the workplace are routinely amplified, recorded, and otherwise spied upon. I can understand if there is a history of theft or undermining the business, but without that?
At best it is cowardly. At worst, without informing the employees, could it be illegal? Just wondering what you all think.
I think it sucks, personally. However, according to my employer, anything done with or on company equipment, is open to such, and using the company equipment is agreeing to such. However, that policy is well known and understood.
For the most part, Prairie, the actions you described are lawful to the best of my knowledge. This may be changing, but at present the drill goes as follows: if the employee is “on the clock”, then his/her total loyalties belong to the employer. This includes, among other things, not “wasting time” by having conversations between/among employees on any matter that isn’t work related, and having personal calls on company time, whether on the employer’s telecon equipment (btw, subject to snooping, no realistic expectation of privacy and all that) or personally. This, of course, is in the absence of any contract providing otherwise.
Kansas is an “at will” state, so one is always at peril when at work. Just a thought.
Where I work those are pretty much the rules we have to abide by. Anything done on company time is subject to review by the company,and we have to sign an agreement stating we are aware of the rules and abiding by them is a condition of employment
It was brought up while I worked at Wal-Mart, I don’t think it was at a Wal-Mart but there was a case where the employer was video taping and doing audio in the employee’s bathroom.
Now the camera was set up so it did not show anyone in the stalls but outside them and the audio would pick up anything said in the bathroom.
The court ruled it was legal since the bathroom is on the employer’s property and the employees are on the clock while going to the bathroom. I do know that Wal-Mart often used the cameras to check on employees and to track their movements.
I did have one member of management that if he saw me talking to even a customer he would step in between the customer and me and tell me to get back to work! It happened several times and one customer called Bentonville about him.
LOL I have one kid texting with his concerns and a daughter-in-law messaging with hers! Meanwhile trying to read what is on the blog!
I need a job so I can be left alone for a bit….
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/homeland-security-messages-coming-walmart-hotels-malls/
I feel much safer now
Great, just great.
Following an inadvertent peek at Defense Department data, Boeing executives believe the Air Force is likely to award the long-awaited tanker contract to Airbus parent company EADS, according to a leading defense analyst with close ties to Boeing.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/12/07/1622207/analyst-boeings-hopes-fading-for.html#ixzz17RvPzK8O
You can thank the Republicans in 2005 for ramming through that CAFTA bill.
isn’t that why John McCain rode an Airbus plane on his presidential campaign?
Thank you Republicans for ramming thru the Cafta bill.
They could have done without your support.
indypendent
December 7, 2010 at 12:02 pm
does that also go for those soldiers’ wives and families? They serve also.
Don’t ever forget that.
*************************************
Really? No shit?
Okay I am done with you . Cya
Just wanted to remind everyone on this day that it takes everyone to give what they can to help our country.
Nothing in this country will change until everyone is asked and willing to make some sacrifice.
I hear Tea Party Republicans calling for cutting spending and for government to stop interfering with business.
I’m all for that – but aren’t those subsidies the US taxpayers give to companeis and farmers really just interfering with business and free trade?
But I don’t ever hear one Tea Party Republican call for the stop to those – I wonder why?
There is only so much space between their ears, they will get to it as soon as the empty space is cleared enough to put that thought in!
When I think of World War II – I think about the soldiers that fought in the war. But I also think about the everyday Americans that were back home doing their part to help win that war.
And why is that not recognized? Rosie Riveters were a big contribution to the war effort. Every American that bought a war bond were a big contribution to the war effort.
Every American that sacrificed during that time did their contribution to the war effort.
And that is exactly what it is going to take to get this country united again. But we have too many who are so quick to dismiss another person because of the God they worship or do not worship – their political party – or the color of the skin.
they would rather just say…..CYA
I don’t think anyone has forgotten the prices or sacrifices of the entire country during WWII.
Gold star mothers and in a real way Rosie play such a key role in the struggle for women’s equality.
LOL I have often said who ever called women the weaker sex have never carried a toddler on their hip for two hours of walking through a Mall!
It truly is the greatest generation in so many ways, I have gotten the privilege of meeting several.
A wasp, the women who flew aircraft and some faired planes to Europe.
One guy who landed at Normandy and managed to there for a day and a half before he was knocked unconscious and injured by a German shell hitting the tank trap he was hiding behind.
A guy who at 16 ran off to Canada and lied about his age then joined the RAF and when to England.
He fought in the battle for Britain, flew all the well known fighters from the P-40 to the P-51.
Shot down more then once.
Grandma told me stories of the home front and of my Uncle Ray who served in Europe.
How she and her friends would do without and still manage to keep food on the table and live a good life.
Dealing with the knowledge of her son was in War and how you had to not let it control every thought and keep the world as sane as possible.
give em hell indie
http://4closurefraud.org/2010/12/06/wow-is-lee-county-foreclosure-court-above-the-law/
this one is for you 6
Thanks.
While admitting my ignorance of Florida Civil Procedure, the following came to mind as I read the link and the Order therein included: a) This was on defendants Motion to Dismiss (filed prior to answering or otherwise pleading, usually on the grounds that the Petition/Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, lack of jurisdiction, etc.), and not a Motion for Summary Judgment (normally filed after the issues have been joined and discovery conducted); b) the cited rule, by its title, appears to apply to the use of affidavits as a part of a Motion for Summary Judgment, and, without more, I am constrained from saying this rule would apply to a Motion to Dismiss.
Without more known to me, the Order did not appear to be egregious in any way.
LOL it will not get me or truly surprise me considering their past track record.
But if some time today the Republican leadership comes out stating they can not support Obama’s extension of the Tax cuts!
That it is fiscally ill reasonable and would add trillions to the debt!
wow 6,
that reply made my head hurt. I will admit to not really reading the whole thing. The order is catching a little bit of a buzz in the econ blogosphere. So it’s no big deal?
It doesn’t appear to be facially. As I said before, I’m ignorant of Florida Rules of Procedure, so there may well be something that I missed.
BTW, I read some of the comments to the link, and there seems to be confusion about the order, etc. I didn’t read the order as broadly as others seem to, so who knows.
Thanks 6,
Wichita girl hits the BIG times,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/versace-lindsey-wixson_n_793080.html
I feel kinda uncomfortable with that. We shouldn; be exploiting 16 year olds.
LOL they were talking bad about Obama last night of Fox for not thanking the Cons for their part in the tax cuts then later for adding trillions to the debt.
OMG how they will be talking to night with him referring to them as “Hostage takers”!
“I feel kinda uncomfortable with that. We shouldn; be exploiting 16 year olds.”
Who is we? The poor kid is probably earning 10 to 20k a shoot. Sorry you don’t believe in free market capitalism.
Sorry, I don;t believe in cheap shots by people who haven;t got a clue what the hell they are talking about, but hey, Have a great day!
AWOL today (hospital from 7 am to 6 pm), and that might happen more. The bone biopsy went OK, but we don’t have the pathologist results so we’re still waiting. Lots of waiting. Hang in here with me guys. I’ll be back!
You know we will and be there for you.
I hope it will work out like what was wrong with me, sounded far worst then it actually ended up.
More annoying the worry when the shoe will fall.
Hope everything turns out okay.
By the way, caught’s Obama press conference and, as infuriating as it is, what he’s saying is logically correct.
We have the bad fortune to have economic extortionists elected and, while the continuing of the upper-class tax cuts will continue the deterioration of the middle class, the expiration of unemployment benefits and the tax cuts for those who struggling with new poverty would have had an effect both devasting and immediate. The cut in payroll taxes caught me off guard; while it will bring the Social Security “crisis” soon than 2037, it will put more $$ in working people’s pockets in the short run, so ,perhaps, the next two years will not be as dismal either for the economy or democracy as anticipated.
And, perhaps as importantly, not only has the Republicans’ fake piety on deficits been punctured, it looks like after the Gergen-heads had dominated the discourse with the same Orwellian nonsense of last month, the narrative has been changed, slightly.
Granted, I may be biased because, quite frankly, he seemed to take the words out of my mouth: this is about real people, and real consequences.
Yes President Obama says this was the best that could be, and further he states all the ramifications we can clearly see — eroding social security further, allowing the greedy time to make these tax cuts permanent so the income divide can be widened and the pesky middle class decimated — won’t happen. He says in two years he’ll fight against them being extended.
May I remind you he said for the two years he campaigned and for the almost two years he’s been in office they wouldn’t be extended this time.
Why should I believe anything he says?
I don’t get here as often as I should. The cons monitor you all and I don’t want them using me against you.
I have sent you gmail fnord.
Monitoring? Heh, that’s both amusing and expected, but, just speaking for myself, I think you’re responsible for your own soul here. Fnord is ultimate arbiter of course, and I think everyone respects that.
Good luck fnord