The Federal Wiretapping Act provides that it is unlawful to intercept oral or electronic communications.  Both criminal and civil penalties are provided for by this Act.   There are two exceptions:
	a.	An employer can monitor his/her/its telephones in the ordinary course of business through the use of extension telephone; and
	b.	An employer can monitor employee communications with the employee=s consent.  Consent may be established by prior written notice to employees of the employer's monitoring policy.  Consent signed by the employee is preferable.
	
	The same principles should apply to video surveillance.
                                                            
 
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                    