PRIVACY IN THE WORKPLACE IN PERSPECTIVE

This analysis examines the current state of privacy in the workplace a s well as how the issue has developed over the last century, Of specia l interest is the seminal work of the U.S. Privacy Protection Commissi on which studied the subject extensively in the late 1970s. Nearly twe nty years after the Commission submitted its report and recommendation s urging business to voluntarily adopt privacy safeguards for its empl oyment-related records, a new study shows that too many of the nation' s largest industrial corporations still do not have adequate policies to protect sensitive confidential employee data from possible abuse, A set of fair information practices is presented for voluntary corporat e adoption. The practices could also serve as the basis for future leg islation mandating private sector action.