As Corporate Counsel recently reported, a Wisconsin tech company has implemented a program that allows its employees to have an RFID-enabled microchip surgically implanted in their hands. Once implanted, the chip allows the employees simply to wave their hands to open doors, purchase food and interface with the company’s technology systems. This technology is not new — microchipping pets is standard these days, countries like Sweden have been experimenting with human chip implants for several years, and legislators have debated the efficacy of digitally tracking sex offenders and other felons through microchip implants. But implanting employees with microchips in our rigorously regulated workplace raises legal concerns. Employers eager to adopt this new technology in the workplace should be mindful of a few regulatory risks.
Is Anything Truly Voluntary in the Workplace?
