The information will be used to ascertain if employers are violating antitrust and privacy laws, including whether companies use technologies to artificially reduce wages. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will soon release a public request for information (RFI) to learn more about the automated tools employers use to surveil, monitor, evaluate, and manage workers. “Employers are increasingly investing in technologies that monitor and track workers, and making workplace decisions based on that information,” the OSTP announced in a blog on Monday. It said that while these technologies can benefit both workers and employers in some cases, they can also create serious risks to workers. Responses to this RFI will be used to inform new policy responses, share relevant research, data, and findings with the public, and amplify best practices among employers, worker organizations, technology vendors, developers, and others in civil society, the OSTP said. Those who are interested in providing details need to do so by June 15. Upholding employees’ rights Constant tracking of performance can pose a risk to employees’ safety and mental health, the OSTP said, pointing out that it could also lead to discrimination and stop employees from forming unions. “Monitoring conversations can deter workers from exercising their rights to organize and collectively bargain with their employers. And, when paired with employer decisions about pay, discipline, and promotion, automated surveillance can lead to workers being treated differently or discriminated against,” the OSTP said. Certain applications of these systems, when paired with decisions about working conditions, promotion, discipline, or termination, may also treat otherwise similar workers differently based on their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, national origin, health, disability, or other protected status. “Some systems may also violate antitrust and privacy laws, for instance, if employers use technologies to artificially reduce wages,” the RFI said. Increased automated tracking during the pandemic The OSTP noted that the constant tracking of employees increased during the pandemic as the workforce became remote. The percentage of large employers using AI tools to track their workforce may have doubled since the beginning of the pandemic to about 60%, according to research by Gartner. This surveillance is carried out either by having software on workers’ computers to dedicated electronic devices that workers wear or carry on their person. Through the RFI, the administration aims to gather information on workers’ firsthand experiences with surveillance technologies; details from employers, technology developers, and vendors on how they develop, sell, and use these technologies; best practices for mitigating risks to workers; relevant data and research; and ideas for how the federal government should respond to any relevant risks and opportunities, the OSTP said. Last year, the Biden administration released a blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which stated that individuals “should be free from unchecked surveillance.” The blueprint also raised concerns over the possible harms of continuous surveillance on workers, using the example of electronic monitoring intended to prevent workers’ efforts to organize a labor union. The current RFI is an extension of the blueprint to further study the use of automated surveillance and management systems in the workplace. Related content feature The mobile, distributed, future of work Michael Covington, Jamf's vice president for product strategy, has some thoughts on the complex changing workplace. By Jonny Evans May 16, 2024 8 mins iMac Remote Work Apple news analysis The brilliant Android breakthrough you didn’t hear about at Google I/O This Android innovation has nothing to do with Android 15, Gemini, or anything connected to AI. But it may be the most exciting and potential-packed news coming out of Google all week. By JR Raphael May 16, 2024 10 mins Chromebooks Laptops Google news Visa leverages AI to help retailers access more customer data Payment tokenization removed customers’ personal information from the payment data flow; now Visa is asking them to put it back in. By Prasanth Aby Thomas May 16, 2024 3 mins Payment Systems Data Privacy Generative AI feature Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build? Get the latest info on new preview builds of Windows 11 as they roll out to Windows Insiders. Now updated for Build 26217 for the Canary Channel, released on May 15, 2024. By Preston Gralla May 15, 2024 256 mins Small and Medium Business Microsoft Windows 11 Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe