Bonamici, Deluzio Introduce Bill to Protect Workers from Invasive, Exploitative Surveillance Technologies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) are introducing the Stop Spying Bosses Act, a bill to empower and protect workers from the use of exploitative surveillance technologies on the job. Employers are increasingly using these technologies to monitor workers’ activities, both on and off duty, and even penalize them without sufficient oversight, accountability, or transparency. The Stop Spying Bosses Act would safeguard workers’ autonomy and dignity and create much-needed standards, protections, and oversight to counter exploitative technologies that are spreading unchecked. 

“Workers shouldn’t have to worry that their data is being exploited or abused by their employers,” said Rep. Bonamici. “The Stop Spying Bosses Act will increase transparency in the workplace and protect workers’ rights by preventing the abuse of workplace surveillance and requiring employers to disclose any surveillance they conduct. I’m pleased to introduce this important legislation with my colleague Congressman Deluzio.” 

“It’s time to protect employees from the use of invasive surveillance technologies that allow bosses to track their workers minute by minute and move by move,” said Rep. Deluzio. “Workers deserve far better than a workday full of endless suspicion and surveillance: they should have a workplace with respect and dignity. I am proud to join with Rep. Bonamici to introduce the Stop Spying Bosses Act to protect workers’ privacy, safety, and right to organize the workplace in this new age of surveillance.” 

The Stop Spying Bosses Act would require disclosures and prohibitions for employers engaging in surveillance of workers to help empower and protect workers. Specifically, this bill would: 

• Require any employer collecting data on employees or applicants to disclose such information in a timely and public manner; 
• Prohibit employers from collecting sensitive data on individuals (i.e., off-duty data collection, data collection that interferes with organizing, etc.);  
• Create rules around the usage of automated decision systems to empower workers in employment decisions; and 
• Establish the Privacy and Technology Division at the Department of Labor to enforce and regulate workplace surveillance as novel technologies evolve and grow. 

This bill has been endorsed by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), National Employment Law Project (NELP), AFL-CIO, the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

"Unchecked employer power presents an enormous risk to workers, and employers' ability to keep on-the-job surveillance or data collection secret is no different,” said Samantha Sanders, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy at the Economic Policy Institute. “This bill would be an important step to establish basic rights to privacy and transparency in the workplace." 

“Workers across the country face increasingly invasive electronic monitoring and surveillance practices that can contribute to worker injuries, disrupt worker organizing, and lead to unfair discipline and termination,” said Rebecca Dixon, President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project (NELP). “The Stop Spying Bosses Act would protect workers by placing guardrails around these practices and ensuring that workers have transparency into how their employer is surveilling their workplace. We urge all Members of Congress to join us in supporting this legislation.” 

"CWA thanks Reps. Deluzio and Bonamici for their leadership in protecting workers and job applicants from employer misuse of artificial intelligence and automated decision technologies,” said Dan Mauer, Director of Government Affairs for the Communications Workers of America. “Companies are monitoring workers' actions in increasingly intrusive ways, violating workers’ rights and facilitating inhumane work goals and quotas. The Stop Spying Bosses Act would protect workers' dignity from these abusive practices. Congress should act swiftly to advance this bill to ensure that new technology protects good jobs, not abusive bosses." 

Earlier this week, Congressmembers Deluzio and Bonamici also joined together to introduce the No Robot Bosses Act. This measure would reduce the potential for discrimination from AI-based hiring tools by adding protections for job applicants and employees related to automated decision systems, as well as instituting disclosure and training requirements. 

The full text is here. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) lead companion legislation in the Senate. 

###