As we highlighted in a previous article, the microchipping of employees is a highly dangerous and unethical practice that needs to be banned by the UK Government. In the United States, Indiana has now become the 12th state to ban the compulsory microchipping of employees by their employers. To prevent coercion by unscrupulous employers from arising, the UK needs to follow the lead of these states so as to protect employees from the unacceptable heath risks and privacy violations posed by microchipping. Without a legislative ban, the scope for coercion by employers of various kinds is considerable, right up to making job offers contingent upon consent for microchipping to be provided, and the dismissal of employees upon a pretext where consent is refused. Moreover, employees will always have fears as to their career and progression should consent be denied. Hence, a complete ban is the only effective way of preventing such coercion from arising.
Microchipping of Employees: The Dangers Posed
The long term health consequences of the microchipping of employees is completely unknown. Moreover, there are many examples of medicines and other substances that were once thought safe, only for them to turn out not to be, often decades later. The list includes everything from tobacco to asbestos, to heroin based cough suppressants, with the victims often left feeling like guinea pigs. The potentially damaging effects of mobile phone use will not be known for several decades yet. Hence, no absolute guarantees whatsoever can be provided by anybody that implanted microchips is safe. Indeed, in relation to the microchipping of animals, several studies found a high incidence of malignant/cancerous tumours in the area where the microchip was implanted. Moreover, the FDA recently stated that they are still investigating concerns in relation to the issue.
Furthermore, the microchipping of employees also represents a gross intrusion into their privacy. In fact, the whole point of implanting the microchip in the first place is to monitor the employee activities. Nevertheless, the microchip cannot be just deactivated or turned off at the end of the day, and there are no guarantee that unscrupulous employers will not continue to monitor their employees outside of work on a permanent 24/7 basis. Moreover, data leaks have become so frequent, that there is no guarantee that the data acquired via the microchip will not be leaked, and there is plenty of potential for hackers to hack into the microchip and monitor the employee on a 24/7 real time basis.
Frances O’Grady, the General Secretary of the TUC has stated: "We know workers are already concerned that some employers are using tech to control and micromanage, whittling away their staff’s right to privacy. Microchipping would give bosses even more power and control over their workers. There are obvious risks involved, and employers must not brush them aside, or pressure staff into being chipped."
Twelve States Have Now Banned Compulsory Microchipping
Indiana became the 12th state to ban the compulsory microchipping of employees by employers. The new law comes into force on the 1st July 2020. There are also proposals in Iowa and Rhode Island to bring in similar bans.
Ifeoma Ajunwa, professor of labor and employment law at Cornell University, described the new laws in Indiana as “a good first step.” She adds that without legislation, "employees might feel pressured to say yes to microchips even if they have reservations.”
