Tag: biometrics in the workplace

Biometrics in the Workplace In the last several years, advancements in biometric data have made this technology more usable for identification by organizations than ever before. However, these rapid advancements and correspondingly rapid integration into many workplaces have raised significant questions for HR professionals when it comes to the ethics and use of such information. Biometric data, which collects data on the physical or behavioral characteristics of an individual, in this case, an employee for identification purposes, has quickly grown to be an enormous market. In fact, according to a market research study by IMARC Group, the global biometrics market attained a value of $27.97 billion in 2021, and by 2027 it is expected to reach the staggering sum of $74.42 billion. This incredible growth in value is driven by an increasing reliance by employers on using this data as a more secure means to identify users. Biometric data is difficult to impersonate or steal and cannot be scaled for large attacks, which mitigates the risk of significant breaches or hacks using false or stolen credentials. Another common use for biometric data is to prevent time theft by employees. Biometric data is increasingly used as part of attendance management systems as a way to ensure employees are only paid for the time they are present and to reduce the phenomenon of employees clocking in for each other. One less assuming use of biometric data by employers which has gained traction is as part of employer-sponsored wellness programs. Through these, employers might provide employees with wearable trackers such as smartwatches or allow them to undergo biometric screenings as part of a wellness strategy. The Kaiser Family Foundation's 2021 Employer Health Benefits Survey found that "Among firms offering health benefits, 26% of small firms and 38% of large firms provide workers the opportunity to complete a biometric screening." Despite these valuable uses for organizations, many have serious concerns about the use of this technology primarily because its use is often not very transparent. Initially, the use of biometric monitoring was primarily confined to manufacturing and warehouse workers; however, in recent years, this has quickly expanded to cover a vast array of workers in many industries, many of whom have poorly defined rights to privacy. Compared with the European Union, the U.S. has fewer data protection laws, particularly for employees, and even fewer where biometric data is concerned. One exception to this lack of legal protections is the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in Illinois. This law requires employers to provide notice to employees of the biometric data they will collect, what it will be used for, and obtain written consent from employees. BIPA then forbids these organizations from selling or attempting to profit in any way from the biometric data they have collected and provides employees with a private right of action for violations. The California legislature has introduced several privacy bills for the current legislative session. Learn More BIPA has been used by employees within the state to seek damages for alleged violations many times since the statute was passed in 2008, and the number of complaints has only been growing. However, Illinois is the exception, not the rule, when it comes to providing employees with legal recourse for abuse of biometric data. Other states do possess similar laws preventing the collection of biometric data without obtaining consent, including Washington and Texas; however, they do not provide for a private right of action for violations. Currently, privacy rights regarding the collection of biometric data vary considerably depending on the state in which an employer resides. However, this may soon change should the National Biometric Privacy Act, which is currently being considered by the U.S. Senate's Committees on Judiciary, become law. This bill would create broad protections regarding the collection and use of biometric data; however, until and if this bill should become law, many are still left with concerns with the collection and use of biometric data in the workplace. Stay updated on all the new rules of compliance with Pre-employs free news resources on FCRA, EEOC, and more. Contact a Sales Rep today for more information. Sources

Tag: biometrics in the workplace

Biometrics in the Workplace

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