GPS Tracking of State Worker Raises Privacy Issues

An anonymous reader writes with this excerpt from a Times Union article: "How far can state government go in keeping tabs on its employees? That's the question a mid-level appeals court will consider in the wake of a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union against the state Labor Department, in the case of a fired state worker who was tracked with a GPS device that investigators secretly attached to his personal car. ... State officials tracked Cunningham's whereabouts by secretly attaching a GPS device to his BMW. The electronic tailing went beyond what would normally be termed Cunningham's work hours, since the device was on for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They even tracked him on a multi-day family vacation."

Comments

Re:What was the state thinking?!?

[Tailhook]

What reasons

He was defrauding the government by lying about his hours to collect undue compensation. The state investigated his work habits by tracking his vehicle. He was eventually fired based on the evidence, which he does not dispute, as he is not seeking reinstatement or back pay. These employees can not be fired without extraordinary evidence; the sort produced by, say, tracking a vehicle.

He has good PR and has been successful at making the knees of people like you jerk wildly. Your reaction is the reason many, many government employees defraud the government every day with impunity. Your reaction is also why he will eventually be awarded a big fat settlement at taxpayer expense; probably something on the order of 10-15 teachers salaries.

Thanks. You've been a big help.