Privacy Issues in the Workplace

• Author: Laura M. Franze
• Pages: 299-356

28-1

Chapter 28

PRIVACY ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE

By Laura M. Franze

28:1. OVERVIEW

28:2. SOURCES OF PRIVACY LAW

A. Common Law Invasion of Privacy

1. Historical Overview

2. Texas Common Law Recognition of Privacy Protection

3. Four Invasion of Privacy Torts Under the Restatement

a. Intrusion Into Seclusion or Private Affairs of Another

b. Public Disclosure of Private Facts

c. False Light Invasion of Privacy

d. Appropriation of Name or Likeness

B. Constitutional Sources of the Right of Privacy—Public Employers

1. Privacy Under the United States Constitution

a. Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure

b. Fourteenth Amendment Penumbras

2. Privacy Under the Texas State Constitution

C. Statutory Sources of Privacy Rights

1. Federal Statutes

a. Federal Privacy Act

b. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

c. Americans With Disabilities Act

d. OSHA

e. Fair Credit Reporting Act

f. Bankruptcy Code

g. Immigration Reform and Control Act

h. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the HIPAA Privacy Rule

2. State Statutes

TEXAS EMPLOYMENT LAW 28-2

28:3. DEFENDING PRIVACY CLAIMS

A. No Protected Privacy Interest

B. Consent/Waiver

C. Privilege

1. Absolute Privilege

2. Qualified Privilege

28:4. EMPLOYER SEARCHES

A. Searches in the Public Sector

B. Searches in the Private Sector

C. Searches Involving Unionized Employees

28:5. INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS AND EMPLOYEE TESTING

A. Overview

B. Employer’s Affirmative Obligation to Investigate

1. Discrimination Laws

2. Health and Safety Laws

3. Drugs in the Workplace

C. Types of Investigations

1. Pre-Employment Investigations

a. Criminal Background

i. Arrest Records

ii. Conviction Records

b. Credit History

2. Employee Testing

a. Psychological/Honesty Testing

b. Polygraph Testing

i. Employee Polygraph Protection Act

ii. State Regulation of Polygraph Testing

c. Drug Use and Testing

i. Federal and State Statutes

ii. Consent

iii. Random Testing

iv. Reasonable Suspicion Testing

v. Post-Incident or Accident Testing

d. Alcohol Use and Testing

28-3 PRIVACY ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE

e. Health Examinations

f. AIDS/HIV Testing

i. Federal Statutory and Constitutional Law

ii. State Law

g. Genetic Testing

h. Other Testing

28:6. PRIVACY-RELATED CLAIMS RESULTING FROM SEARCHES AND

INVESTIGATIONS

A. False Imprisonment

B. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

C. Assault and Battery

D. Malicious Prosecution and Abuse of Process

28:7. ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE

A. Balancing Test

B. Telephone/Voice Mail Surveillance

1. Electronic Communications Privacy Act

2. ECPA Business Use Exception

3. Texas Law and Telephone Monitoring

4. Texas Wiretapping Law

5. Cordless Telephones

6. Tape Recording

C. E-Mail Surveillance

1. The Developing Common Law

2. The ECPA as Applied to E-Mail Communications

a. Internal E-Mail Systems

b. Business Use Exemption

c. Prior Consent

d. “Interception” of Stored E-Mail Messages

3. Proposed Privacy for Consumers and Workers Act

D. Caller ID

E. Video Camera Surveillance

F. Computer Surveillance

G. Facsimile Surveillance