Lady Fired for Using Keystroke Technology

Lady Fired for Using Keystroke Technology: Recognizing the Problems

Many businesses have used cutting-edge technologies in recent years to track the productivity of their remote workers. Keystroke tracking is one such piece of technology that keeps track of how many keystrokes a worker performs on their computer. While some businesses contend that this technology is required to guarantee that their remote workers are producing quality work, others consider it to be a privacy infringement.

Keystroke tracking has resulted in employee terminations in certain instances. For instance, in 2023, an Australian woman’s employment as a consultant was terminated due to the usage of keystroke technology by her company to evaluate her productivity. After eighteen years of employment with Insurance Australia Group (IAG), the woman was awarded an official alert on her performance. She tried to increase her output, but her boss discovered that she wasn’t typing often enough for her remote work, leading to her termination. The usage of monitoring technology in the workplace and whether they are intrusive or required were discussed after this occurrence.

Case Study: Female Employee Fired Due to Keystroke Monitoring Mishap Summary
Suzie Cheikho was let off from Insurance Australia Group (IAG) in 2023 after it was stated that she didn’t type fast enough when working from home. Cheikho had “very low keystroke activity” on the days she checked in to work, according to IAG’s tracking of her behavior using keystroke monitoring equipment. October, November, and December of 2022 saw zero keystrokes made by Cheikho over 117,60 and 143 hours, in that order [1].

After being sacked from IAG after eighteen years of employment, Cheikho filed an unfair dismissal claim with the Australian Fair Work Commission (FWC). Ultimately, nevertheless, the FWC found that Cheikho’s dismissal was just and reasonable, noting IAG’s justifiable worries over her output and the fact that she had received several performance warnings .

Consequences for Law

Employers’ usage of keystroke tracking technologies has sparked worries about employee privacy and misuse possibilities. The FWC determined that IAG had not violated any privacy laws or regulations in Cheikho’s instance since the business had gotten the agreement of its employees and told them that their keystrokes would be monitored .

But some legal professionals have contended that using such technology may still be viewed as a privacy violation, especially if workers are not fully informed about the ways in which their data would be gathered and utilized .

Effect on Privacy of Employees

The Suzie Cheikho case serves as a reminder of the possible privacy risks associated with keyboard tracking technologies. Employers may contend that this kind of technology is required to guarantee efficiency and stop fraud, but workers may feel as though their privacy is being infringed upon and that they are always being monitored.

With more businesses implementing remote work rules in the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic, keystroke tracking technology use is expected to increase. How politicians and judges will strike a balance is still to be seen. the right to privacy and autonomy in the workplace together with the requirements of productivity and security.

[1] News story: 0fc7ac2e6ab965e172af4bf0010d16b4; Fair Work Commission rules: iags termination of Suzie Cheik for not typing on her laptop sufficiently was justified.

[2] 7news.com.au/business/workplace-matters/woman-fired-after-monitoring-from-home-found-that-she-wasn’t-typing-enough-c-11525714

[3] The article “WfH Employee Fired: IAG Company Keystroke Technology Surveillance Typing Australia 2023-8” was published on Business Insider on August 8, 2023.

Workplace Keystroke Technology

One kind of employee tracking software is keystroke monitoring software, which keeps track of the keys that are pushed on a keyboard. Employers utilize this technology to monitor staff productivity and guard against resource mismanagement. Keystroke technology presents ethical questions and necessitates careful evaluation of best practices, even if it may be a useful tool for businesses.

Kinds of Software for Tracking Keystrokes

Keystroke tracking software comes in a variety of forms, each with unique features and functionalities. While some applications can monitor every keystroke typed on a keyboard, others can only monitor certain keystrokes or track the amount of time spent on particular jobs. Some applications can also capture audio and video, or take screenshots, to give a more comprehensive view of what employees are doing.

Moral Aspects to Take into Account

Concerns concerning employee autonomy and privacy are ethically raised by the usage of keystroke tracking technologies. Employers have to strike a compromise between employee rights and the necessity for surveillance. Employers must have employees’ informed consent and be open and honest about how they utilize surveillance tools. Employers must also make sure that workers understand their rights and obligations and set clear regulations and standards for the usage of monitoring tools.

Employers’ Best Practices

Employers who use keystroke tracking software should take into account a number of recommended practices. Among them are:

Explicitly stating the goal and extent of observation to workers

acquiring workers’ informed permission prior to putting monitoring software in place
defining precise rules and regulations for the usage of monitoring software
restricting surveillance to tasks relevant to the job
Using monitoring data to provide staff with feedback and support and making sure that the data is properly maintained and only accessed by authorized persons
Employers can utilize keystroke tracking software in an ethical, open, and efficient manner by adhering to these best practices.