comment: >
  
  Wow that’s very creepy, leave it to companies to try and find some way to justify firing an employee or find any way to prevent being legally culpable.
  What ended up happening in your friend’s situation? Do they still work for the company? Was the violent coworker held accountable in any way legally or professionally?
context: As an IT worker of 24 years I can say that if you are using a work computer.....you betcha!! >
  
  It not just that too.  It's intrusive background checks, signing non-compete agreement, hyper micro management of time at work, etc.
  I worked it jobs that forced you to use your personal phone or give your social media account before >
  
  It’s wild. Some places I’ve worked did a fucking credit check. Like I work in IT for a living, not on Wall St. >
  
  Did you work for a financial institution or one that does something like make credit cards?  Because if so, those checks are there for a reason. >
  
  In the case of the place I was thinking of when I wrote this comment, no. It was a small business. I understand it when I worked in IT for a midsize insurance company (you know, being risk adverse and all), but not for some random ass retailer. >
  
  My friend was assaulted by a co-worker and the company was trying to desperately invent reasons to fire my friend. He told me that HR asked him to explain a troubling comment he made earlier. The thing was, the comment was made at his own house and was actually spoken by his friend well-past work hours. Also worth noting that he was note a remote employee. The company was surveilling him using the company laptop. I do not bring work technology home anymore. >
  
  That’s creepy so the microphone on the laptop was always listening waiting to flag words or something? I’ve definitely noticed phones do that before like if you say something enough times you’ll get ads for it. >
  
  I think it was just always on and a person just listened to whole conversations here and there, just looking for something.