3 ms·

School custodian says she was fired for refusing app that monitors location

elmerfud 6y ago
I would refuse as well, and I do refuse to install work related apps on my personal phone. If my employer requirements are to use specific apps then they can provide the device I'll use during work hours or provide compensation to pay for device to use. I don't see a problem with their employer requiring a way to contact and track their custodians. What's ridiculous is that they want to require the person to place that on their personal device. If the employer provided the device I would see no issue it's simply another way of managing employees. It's another discussion to determine if this is an appropriate management technique or not but tracking your employees during a work time is a valid thing. With a work provided device they could turn it on when they start their shift they could turn it off when they stop their shift. Hopefully something can be done to be punitive to these employers that are requiring this on people's personal equipment.
ksaj 6y ago
If a company required that of me, I would demand that they also provide me with a work phone. Then they can do whatever they want with it. Of course it would also be powered down outside of work hours, every time. There is an interesting conflict in the text. She says they often verbalized their high degree of satisfaction with her work, but then they say refusing the app isn't the only reason she was fired. With one side not being legally able to detail those other reasons, and the subject of the story not alluding to what those other reasons may have been, we have no way to know how accurate this story actually is. Input from the lawyer about when an employer can and can't impose this kind of app on an employees is interesting either way.
rkagerer 6y ago
I would refuse as well. Do you think her boss vetted the app, reviewed what it information it collects and where it's sent, audited the vendor, contracted with them to be liable if there's a privacy breach, explained any risks, etc? I'm getting sick of inappropriate or user-hostile cloud offerings blindly seeping into places they shouldn't be. e.g. Here in BC you can sign up to get Covid test results on your phone, but it requires specifically agreeing to your personal health data being sent out of the country. No thank you. Just because it's easy for an employer doesn't mean its safe, secure or appropriate.

I would refuse as well, and I do refuse to install work related apps on my personal phone. If my employer requirements are to use specific apps then they can provide the device I'll use during work hours or provide compensation to pay for device to use. I don't see a problem with their employer requiring a way to contact and track their custodians. What's ridiculous is that they want to require the person to place that on their personal device. If the employer provided the device I would see no issue it's simply another way of managing employees. It's another discussion to determine if this is an appropriate management technique or not but tracking your employees during a work time is a valid thing. With a work provided device they could turn it on when they start their shift they could turn it off when they stop their shift. Hopefully something can be done to be punitive to these employers that are requiring this on people's personal equipment.

ksaj 6y ago

If a company required that of me, I would demand that they also provide me with a work phone. Then they can do whatever they want with it. Of course it would also be powered down outside of work hours, every time. There is an interesting conflict in the text. She says they often verbalized their high degree of satisfaction with her work, but then they say refusing the app isn't the only reason she was fired. With one side not being legally able to detail those other reasons, and the subject of the story not alluding to what those other reasons may have been, we have no way to know how accurate this story actually is. Input from the lawyer about when an employer can and can't impose this kind of app on an employees is interesting either way.

rkagerer 6y ago

I would refuse as well. Do you think her boss vetted the app, reviewed what it information it collects and where it's sent, audited the vendor, contracted with them to be liable if there's a privacy breach, explained any risks, etc? I'm getting sick of inappropriate or user-hostile cloud offerings blindly seeping into places they shouldn't be. e.g. Here in BC you can sign up to get Covid test results on your phone, but it requires specifically agreeing to your personal health data being sent out of the country. No thank you. Just because it's easy for an employer doesn't mean its safe, secure or appropriate.