Susan Gross Sholinsky and Peter A. Steinmeyer, Members of the Firm in the Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practice, in the firm’s New York and Chicago offices, co-authored an article in Thomson Reuters Practical Law, titled “Expert Q&A on Biometrics in the Workplace: Recent Developments and Trends.”

Following is an excerpt (see below to download the full version in PDF format):

Employers have been using biometric information with increasing frequency for various human resource and business functions. Common uses by employers include:

  • Timekeeping, such as using fingerprints or hand scans to punch in and out on biometric timeclocks.
  • Electronic security and building access, such as using retina scans, facial recognition, or fingerprinting technology to control access to an employer’s physical facilities, instead of using passwords or traditional ID cards.
  • Accessing employer-provided workplace equipment, such as computer systems, copiers, and applications on laptops, tablets, and smartphones, using facial recognition or fingerprinting technology.

As technology evolves and the cost of collecting and processing this data decreases, employers may find new uses for biometric information in their HR functions.

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