Discovered that my new job has cameras in the restrooms

Question

Location is Washington state, USA.

I've been at this company for less than a week and I hardly know everyone yet. I had to go to IT today to get some stuff set up and the sysadmin had all the security cameras in a 4x4 grid on a TV. While he was working on my laptop, I noticed that two cameras show the mens and womens restrooms. They're on the ceiling overlooking the stalls so you can see into them. I didn't say anything about them at the time because I'm not sure what to do. I went back and found the camera in the mens' room, it's inside an air vent so it's very hard to notice, while none of the other cameras outside are hidden.

I'm not sure if this is known by the whole company and it's just accepted, or if it's legal at all. I'm definitely not going to work for a company that does this. I'm trying to decide if I should:

1. Go to the sysadmin and ask him about it.
2. Go to my manager and tell him, in case these aren't actually approved.
3. Leave the company. I'm not worried about finding another job, and if I did this I'd email my whole department and let them know, then walk out.
4. Alert some legal authority.

Does anyone have any advice for the best way to handle this?

Answer 1

They're on the ceiling overlooking the stalls so you can see into them.

So they're overlooking the stalls even when the stalls are closed?

The law in Washington seems pretty clear-cut to me.

https://www.washemploymentlaw.com/employee-rights/workplace-surveillance#1

I would call the police. Don't call 911. It's not an emergency. But find out what the local number for the police is and call them. If you're not sure about calling them, you could just visit your local police station and describe what you saw.

Do not ask the manager. Do not talk to HR. Get the police involved. If you complain about the cameras before the police get there, the cameras will be moved, pointed into different directions, incriminating footage will get erased, and signs notifying you of that hidden camera in the vents will be posted everywhere. In fact, that camera in the vents may even disappear overnight, so discreetly double-check that it is still there tomorrow morning before telling the police to come.

Then, I would use that police report when filing for unemployment (since as you said, you're not interested in working for such an employer). That being said, if upper management was truly not aware, they may beg you to stay.

Answer 2

You need to consult a lawyer and then the police. While I am not a lawyer, a quick Google search would HIGHLY indicate this is illegal. Putting a camera in a bathroom violates a person's reasonable expectation of privacy. Read this article from a lawyer in Washington state for more information.

Its probable one or more persons will be facing fines, criminal charges, civil charges, and jail/prison time. A lawyer will advise you on how best to protect yourself and coworkers when reporting this to the police. Not to mention advise you on what could happen in the future. This is serious. Even not reporting it could be unethical, or even illegal.

Answer 3

Management, HR and sysadmin are definitely poor choices to start.

I'm not from the U.S. and I don't know in which field it is, but if you feel uncomfortable going directly to the police, talking to a union representative in the company is surely a good option. They might know if a similar issue has been raised and already addressed in the past and, in case not, raise it in the cleanest way.

If that does not work, due to lacking of union representative or to an unhelpful one, the police is the next option, and other answers have surely addressed that.

Answer 4

Cameras pointed into bathrooms stalls is extreme prison-like surveillance. Utterly unacceptable in every imaginable workplace, let alone the USA. Most likely it's a creep Sysadmin and not any sane manager's idea of a policy.

The police definitely need to be called at some point. But it might be helpful to gather several employees including higher level ones, bring them into the bathroom and pull down the vent to expose the camera, and then take a walk to the IT guy's office.

Yes, it would be a disruptive scene. The plus side is that it avoids putting you in a situation where the camera is removed making you look like you're making an explosive unbelievable claim.

Answer 5

Inform your manager and move forwards from the response. This is illegal most workplaces unless perhaps there is full disclosure or it's some sort of porn business perhaps.

But you cannot ignore it now, you're on camera peering into mensroom air vents.

In terms of your options stated.

1) No, this isn't your role and you need to have your back covered.

2) Yes

3) No idea what you think this would accomplish particularly since you have only a little information.

4) Not until you have spoken to your manager and got at least some info.

Why not call police? Several reasons:

You have little info, these cameras might be a prank or something in bad taste but not what they seem.

Cameras could be removed before anyone looks.

You'll be unemployed and kicking over a fire at the same time, you will make personal enemies out of strangers, never a good thing.

Leaving a job under a cloud so quickly isn't great on a resume.... you can say it was cameras in the loos, but realistically, how believable is that?