The growth and progress in new forms of technology introduce
even more challenges for both employers and employees. The Internet
has globalised the business world. Companies engage in numerous
transactions and communications through technology every second of
the day. It is well recognised that information technology does not
adhere to the geographical boundaries that are normally associated
with physical location, and by its very nature there are particular
risks associated with collection, storage and deletion of such
data.
The collection of employee biometric data (scan of fingerprint
to clock in and out, to confirm identity, and used as a security
measure) is becoming increasingly commonplace. The collection of
biometric data includes not only fingerprint, but voiceprint, or
the scan of a person's retina, iris, face or hand. It is easy
to see how some employers could view the introduction of electronic
scanning as helpful to eliminate common forms of timekeeping
