Cell Phone GPS Tattles on Office Slacker

Nothing new about a government employee facing termination for skipping out on the job. But here's the twist in the strange case of John Halpin, a construction foreman for the New York Department of Education: Managers tracked his whereabouts using the GPS receiver in his company-issued cell phone, and now they're using that data to prove that he was lounging at home when he should have been watching people build stuff. 

Records show multiple occasions where Halpin left his job well before his shift had ended. In fact, he's been flagged for up to 83 early exits in a five-month period. (Other evidence points to additional wrongdoing like having someone else stamp his time card for him.)

But it's the cell phone records that have observers wondering how this might shake out in court (a judge has already recommended Halpin be fired). Halpin accepted the phone from the Department but was not informed it would be used to track his whereabouts. Were his privacy rights violated or did he sign on to be tracked when he accepted the phone?

Before you rush to judgment, note that Halpin has also questioned the accuracy of the timestamps and notes that the same data shows that he often arrived early to work, without receiving extra pay.

No matter how you feel about Halpin's personal situation, it's something to think about next time the boss offers you a cell phone free of charge. He might be intending to use its GPS features to keep tabs on your whereabouts.

LINK: "Track" Trick