This could totally get me fired!

[ti-hua]

So I work in an animal hospital. I'm a receptionist and I close up almost every night.

For the past couple months the vet techs have been having closed door meetings in the doctors' office on a regular basis. So I asked about it and was told that they sometimes need some peace and quiet to finish up charts and the like. Understandable.

There's a TV/VCR thing in there too and they often watch training videos (I've seen them do this myself.)

So last night the tech was in there and I needed her so I intercommed her. No answer. I knocked on the door. No answer. So I poked my head in and saw her rushing over to the door with a not so happy look on her face. I apologized for the interruption but I needed her.

Later that night I asked her what she was doing in the office and she said she couldn't tell me. I asked if it involved me and she paued, then said no. I dropped it...sort of.

After everyone had left I told the other receptionist I work with about the odd exchange. I noticed the tech left a Mountain Dew bottle in the doctors office and went in to get it. We then noticed a unlabelled video tape in the VCR. So we hit play to see what she was watching.

It turned out to be a surveillance tape from a camera hidden in the treatment room.

As soon as we realized what it was (that took about a second!) we shut is off and got the hell out of there.

So I understand that my boss has the right to video tape me at work without my knowledge. I have an extreme moral opposition to this but I know it's legal. My problem is that my co-workers, people who in no way have any authority over me, are watching this tape. I AM LIVID ABOUT THIS!!

But of course I can't say anything because I'm not supposed to know in the first place.

I know this is long and I appreciate everyone who actually read it all the way through. I love my job and really can't afford to be out of work right now. I have such a huge issue with this and I don't know what to do.

 

[AngelofLarrydom]

Why would they do this in the first place.
I mean, does anyone deal with money?

 

[ti-hua]

As receptionists were are required to count all funds taken in that day and write up a balance sheet to show we actually did take in all the money that was entered into our computer.

But from what I could tell the camera was in the treatment room which is a high-traffic area and off limits to the public. We deal with the money in a completely different area of the hospital.

 

[AngelofLarrydom]

So it's in the treatment room.
Are they doing things to animals
that they are not supposed too?


So I understand that my boss has the right to video tape me at work without my knowledge. I have an extreme moral opposition to this but I know it's legal. My problem is that my co-workers, people who in no way have any authority over me, are watching this tape. I AM LIVID ABOUT THIS!!


I would be too!....I mean why haven't they told you?
Does everyone else seem to know?

 

[bonosloveslave]

I wonder if your boss is worried about someone abusing controlled drugs.... but that wouldn't be giving him too much info if all the techs know about this

That does kind of suck that other people are watching it, but at least you know now - not that you probably ever did anything to be concerned about someone seeing. If it really bothers you that other people are seeing these tapes, you should talk to your boss. You don't necessarily need to tell him how you found out about all this, just say something like "I've become aware that surveillance cameras are being used in the hospital and I'm concerned about who has access/permission to view these tapes".

 

[ti-hua]

Mistreatment of the animals was my first thought. However, the vet techs do most of their work in the treatment room and they are the ones allowed to view the tapes. So something tells me the reason for the camera is not to track their performance.

I'd say probably 7-8 out of the 20 or so people who work there know and have viewed these tapes.

The more I think about this the more pissed off it makes me.

 

[bonosloveslave]

You only saw one tape, right? Just have in the back of your mind that there may be more than one camera in the hospital....but again I'm sure you are not doing anything that you would need to be worried about someone else seeing.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

That reminds me of a job I had a few years back. One day our area manager came into the shop and told us that they had been secretly filming all the employees for like three months without telling us! None of us had ever done anything illegal or immoral at work, but it still really sucked that they were filming us without even telling us. Everyone was really embarassed because they filmed the stock room which was where everyone used to go to eat lunch or have a tea break so it was horrible to think you were being filmed when you thought you were in a private place.

I left that job pretty soon after...

 

[Angela Harlem]

Are you sure its legal for them to videotape you?
It smacks of a violation of rights to me, but I dont know the law in such regard.

I agree with you that it sounds likely to be checking mistreatment of animals. How hidden are these cameras? You really should know where they all are and for what purpose they are taping the staff for.

I'm dead convinced no one is allowed to film someone without their knowledge.

Try and find out ti-hua. What a horrible feeling you must have.

Such a mess. Good luck

 

[ti-hua]

I know I haven't done anything that I should be concerned about. (But thanks for thinking so highly of me anyway! )

But I just feel so violated. I've worked at other jobs with cameras but they weren't a secret. We all knew they were there.

And believe me, multiple cameras were the first thing we thought about after we saw the tape.

It just sucks so much that the doctors think they can trust some people (the techs) and not others. I feel like the techs' opinions are valued much more than my own.

I'm afraid if I go to the doctors with what I know I'll be fired because, after all I was kind of snooping.

 

[bonosloveslave]

Are you sure that the techs have gotten actual permission to view these?

 

[ti-hua]

Absolutely positively sure. And as far as I can tell it's been going on for at least a month. They go into the office in the middle of the day when to doctors are there and shut the door so we know not to interrupt.

The other receptionist I work with is talking to a lawyer today just to find out about all the legal stuff but I'm pretty sure there's not much we can do.

I hate feeling like this. I can't believe the techs who are watching these tapes have no issues with spying on their co-workers!

 

[hiphop]

That sucks, ti-hua. I am sorry. Try to take it easy

 

[cell]

ti-hua, im sorry. that would piss me off too.

 

[ti-hua]

I think I figured it out. I think there is suspicion that the guy who works the overnight shift and runs the incinerator is stealing syringes. Which is actually pretty crappy but I do feel a little better about what's going on. Thanks for all your support on this one guys!

 

[bonosloveslave]

Well good, hopefully that's all it's related to - still, if he's only there at night, why don't they just have the camera on at night?

 

[ti-hua]

I think they may only have it on at night. When I saw the tape it was only for a second and I don't remember the time stamp.

 

[ti-hua]

Now I just found out that they are requiring all full-time receptionists (me) to work a holiday shift at the Animal Emergency Service. Not only do I not feel qualified to work in an emergency situation but I'm also being forced to do it! Don't know how much longer I'm going to last at this job which is a shame because I really like it.

Sorry for the rant. Carry on...

 

[bonosloveslave]

I was amazed at how many of the people/animals that came through were not emergency situations when I worked at an emergency clinic for a summer. You know, like the cat that has had the huge lump on it's back for 3 weeks and suddenly it has to be seen at 3am.....But yeah, working holidays is not all that fun - you should at least get paid time and a half or double time though!