Face scanners replacing time clocks in workplace

[Tripper11]

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Employees can forget punch cards and finger scans. Now they can stand in front of a small machine, and in 2 seconds or less their face is scanned and they are punched in for work.

Biometric face-scanning time clocks have been introduced within the past year. Two of these companies -- Lathem, an Atlanta-based time and attendance system company and Compumatic Time Recorders Inc. in New York -- said the time clocks are meant to prevent "buddy punching" and improve hygiene and security. Both companies' biometric devices were launched within the past year and are used by customers nationwide.

Buddy punching occurs when late employees ask other workers to punch them in for work. Lathem's FaceIN product manager, Tony Burks, said the system uses two cameras -- a black-and-white device that identifies 60 points on a human face and a camera that takes a color digital analysis of one's features. The devices weigh about a pound and can be easily attached to the wall.

"No worry about Big Brother watching you because everything is a digital template, not an actual image of the individual," he said. "FaceIN is touchless and hygienic. You just simply look at it. The bulk of our business is in health-care business, food services, manufacturing, government and retail."

..........................more at link

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110907/BIZ/709079967

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I thought it was really bad when our time-clock was replaced with a handprint scanner.

It was to prevent workers from leaving earlier than their stated shift. (You had to "sign" in and out when you worked.)

[xmas74]

2. Food service can afford to buy expensive equipment

to clock in but it can't afford decent wages for its employees. I've worked in the field for years and it's not surprising at all.

[Blue_Tires]

4. funny how that works...

[xmas74]

5. Isn't it, though? nt

[rbixby]

3. Sounds like something my old company would like to do

the routinely shorted me on hours, it seemed like no matter how many times I stayed late working on stuff in a given week, I'd always magically have 37.5 hours on my paycheck, unless, of course, I was a little late one day or something.

They also automatically punched workers out for their breaks, whether they took them or not. I'm not sure if that's legal or what. I even requested that we get a printer by our punch clocks that would give people a receipt of when they punched in and out, so people could keep track of their own hours, but was stymied by it. Anyone else have this problem that their jobs? Is it legal? Do I potentially have some kind of legal standing?

[xmas74]

6. They automatically clock us out for breaks too,

whether we take them or not. I've complained to no avail.

Remember, low level workers in our society need to shut up and be happy they have jobs. (At least, I know that's how I've always been treated.)

[mrmpa]

10. No they can't punch you out for breaks............

you didn't take. Where I worked, anything over 37.5 hours was banked into comp time. At one point I had 13 days of comp time, and was ordered to add at least 7 of them to 2 weeks vacation I had scheduled. This was a good place to work (govt. job), when I was laid off, I had 10 comp days and this was added to what was owed to me.

[Snotcicles]

7. Checking eye dilation.nt

[JVS]

8. So, can I send a realistic model of my head with a buddy to get punched in?

[shanti]

9. what's next, a microchip?

oh wait.....