Servailence at work by co-workers.

Not sure where to put this question, so I'm putting it here.

I have reason to believe I have a co-worker who has been taking pictures and/or video of other employees without their permission. I actually believe I caught him while talking to two others today after lunch. There are rumors he's been doing this for years, but no one has done anything about it.

Now, my company has video servailence on the compound, but this individual has nothing to do with loss-prevention or any sort of management. He's simply another employee who seems to feel like it's his job to watch all of us to make sure we're working.

I'm sure there's a legal issue here regarding privacy, but I'm not positive. If I were to go to HR or my boss with this, is there anything I should do first to ensure this doesn't get swept under a rug? There is a long history of inaction in this company when it comes to disciplinary actions that don't involve theft of company property.

For example, I caught this same individual swiping other employees time cards. I reported this and I think he may have received a write up. In my opinion, that's cause for immediate separation.

 

FrankieZee, your opinion on whether or not he should have been fired is completely irrelevant. That's up to your employer, not you. Sorry if you don't like their decision, but I don't consider taking time cards an automatic firing. Most HR departments would agree with me, especially if none of the effected employees complain or were really impacted by what could easily be explained as a prank.

The questions Borla asked are incredibly relevant. There's a big difference between taking pictures of coworkers doing something he thought humorous/sexy/interesting in that particular light in the compound versus taking pictures in the bathroom.

As for legal issues, "where" is the question you need to keep answering. Where is the company? Where were the employees? Where was the picture-taker?

Finally, it is entirely possible that your employer likes him more than they like you or anyone else, and they don't care. Or he's on an undisclosed project. Or lots of other things that will keep him around forever.

 

So legally, there might not be much there since this wasn't a "private" area. That makes sense. The problem is I don't know what he's doing with the pics/videos, but he's known for trying to get people in trouble.

The issue with the time cards wasn't him taking them, he was actively swiping them. We have an electronic punch in-punch out system and that's what these cards are used for. He was swiping them in the machine that submits our time punches. Whether he was punching people in/out or using the review function to look at people's punch in/out times, I don't know.

In any case, I asked my boss about it and he wasn't too happy. Whether anything happens or not is up in the air, but I voiced my concern and I know I have others that will verify my story.

The only downside is they'll probably really start enforcing the no phone rule... And that's how I listen to my music.

 

Ipods. that'd solve your music issue.


what type of company is it and is it that sensitive that the company will need to deny everyone their phones for the sake of one person?

 

Yeah, I can grab my wife's iPod, but I'm an Android fan, myself

There's already a no cell phone policy, it's just not very well enforced. I work at the home compound of a regional store chain. I'm actually in the shop.

 

What I want to know is why are you so focused on what someone else is doing. When I worked I did my job. My job was production and customer service. I did not have time to focus on what other people were doing unless it was in my face.
If the guy is messing with your times report the discrepancies to the proper personnel. If he is taking pictures of you, tell him to stop. If he doesn't stop, you may have(depending on your region and the laws where you live)a legitimate complaint about harassment or something.
Quite a lot of companies in the United States do not permit cell phone use for safety reasons and also because use of cell phones for non-company business while on the clock is tantamount to internal theft.

 

We were within minutes of coming back from lunch, so a couple of us were talking. Should we not have been talking? Probably not. But we work in a relaxed atmosphere, and some socializing happens between people.

I definitely try to keep my mind on what I'm doing and pay the majority of my attention to what's going on in my bay. However, when you're talking to someone else and look over to see someone taking pictures/or video of you talking without your permission. And this individual has a history of watching what everyone is doing, and has repeatedly tried to get every single emoloyee there in trouble, you start to ask questions.

As far as getting in his face about it, I seriously considered it. I did flip him the bird, and another guy waved at him. The problem is, he's been confronted by others for other issues before and nothing has changed. This is a guy who also has a history of trying to file fake workmans comp claims at other companies. He's seriously known as a shady character, and there's not too many people who would be sad to see him go.

 

I worked with someone like that before. He was a lazy piece of garbage who complained about every little thing. Eventually it caught up with him. It didn't do much good to complain that he was not pulling his weight or about any of the other little annoying things. Tell HR that you are tired of the sick perv taking pictures of you all the time. I mean it. Make it an issue of harassment whether it is or not so they will at least have to look into it. It needs to be a formal complaint not just a trip to HR for a chat.
My coworkers socialized with each other but not to the point of distraction. You don't spend 8 hours a day butt cheek to butt cheek without passing a word from time to time. That's just expected.

 

I didn't think of it as harassment before, but that's exactly what it is. It's not in a bathroom, we're not doing anything completely against company policy, we're just doing a little socializing right after punching in from lunch.

As far as him being lazy, I'm not really concerned with that. There's a LOT of laziness in my shop. As I said before, we are fortunate to have a fairly relaxed atmosphere, and as long as the work is getting done, we're pretty much left alone. I've always taken pride in concentrating on my own business and doing what I have to do. I don't think I can remember ever complaining about someone not doing their job with the exception of the only individual in the shop who's pace of work directly impacts my workload (not the same individual who is taking the photographs). And even then, I have probably only had to say anything a couple times in the four years I've been there.

I honestly can say I've never worked in an environment as volatile as this one. Every shop I've worked at, every unit in the military, every single other place I've worked at everyone was at least able to get along during working hours. I've never liked doing things like this, so I don't take this lightly. I am not prone to jumping to conclusions and running to HR about every little problem I have. I believe in handling things at the lowest possible level without putting jobs on the line.

That being said, I'm either getting old and cranky (at almost 34), I expect people to conduct themselves in a certain way, or I'm simply exhausted of working there in the first place, but when I see things like this, I feel like I have to say something.

I mean, I understand the difference between public and private locations as far as legality issues of privacy are concerned, but really, if you are in a public area, say walking down a street, minding your own business and you notice someone stop and pointedly start snapping pictures of you, you wouldn't get a little nervous? I'm not talking about taking pictures of the scenery, and you happen to accidentally photobomb it, I'm talking they're obviously taking pictures with you as the main object. It may not be "illegal," but wouldn't you ask some questions?
--- merged: Oct 5, 2012 at 8:56 PM ---

Yes. We both have the same boss. And he didn't seem too pleased about it. In fact, he mentioned that this individual is on extremely thin ice anyway. We'll see what happens.

As to Dahliance's suggestion about making a formal complaint instead of an informal chat, I suppose I can do that. I'm used to a chain of command though, so if nothing happens after talking to my direct supervisor, then I'll probably have to go that route.

 

If someone at work was pointing a camera at me I would ask them what they were doing. If I didn't like it I would tell them to stop. If they didn't I would talk to my boss. If the boss did nothing and so on; chain of command. If all of that failed I believe I would deal with the bullshit but I wouldn't be nice.

 

Yeah, I missed my chance to verbally confront him about it. I did react, and I made it known that I knew he was doing it and I didn't appreciate it (by giving him the finger, I know, real mature). Once he knew we knew what was going on, he quickly turned around and exited the area before any one of us could really say anything to him. Then he ended up leaving a little early anyway. Excuses, I know. Any one of us truthfully had an opportunity before he left to confront him. And none of us did. I have to admit, he is physically larger, and traditionally louder than almost anyone in the shop, so he has an intimidating personality and appearance. Not many people will stand up to him unless he's pushed them over the edge.

I tend to hesitate before becoming vocal about something like this anyway unless I'm really at my breaking point. And then it's not pretty. Hopefully, I can unwind a little over the weekend and confront him personally on Monday.

 

Don't confront him. If he's on thin ice anyway, go through the proper channels and don't do anything that could be stretched to suggest that you were provoking him. If you feel like it's harassment, go through the proper channels because the last thing you need to do is get dragged into anything.

In public, no (I'm a fan of Bruce Gilden.) At work, definitely.

 

Frankly, Frankie?
Lovely, Lindy.

 

Well sometimes (a couple of times) I myself take pictures of my coworkers, without saying before (I ask the permission the first time), but they know I have a passion for photography and candid shoots, and scientist at work are an awsome subject. Usually I send them back the photos or print them a copy, but this seems to be a different animal, even if in principle cannot be that he have just a passion for photos and an awkward antisocial attitude?

In any case, I've studied a bit the issue since my love for street and cadid Photography: From what I know, in principle you need the permission of the subject to take a picture (even if in public places. What Bruce Gilden does is definetly illegal since he gets money with the photos of random people, he is simply lucky if no-one, or few one, recognize and sue him. I love his work too, but he walks on a razor's edge from a legal point of view...) so, at least in Italy, what he is doing can be in principle illegal if not appointed by the company.

In your position I should ask very politely, in front of colleagues, without pressure in any sense, simply "why you take picture of us?" and see what he answer. Don't insist or reply even if he negates close the discussion "Ok, I was mistaken, have a nice day bye". Just to know if he have some reason that he embarassed or shy to point out if not asked.

Otherwise you have done anything you can by report him to HR, from now on simply ignore him...