Can my employer tell me to turn off track and trace while in work

longwalks1

As above, we've all been told to 'turn off track and trace' due to the simple technology it uses while in work in case it triggers a false alert, eg our phone left in our locker and someone walking past it and it registering a contact

Is this right, or have you heard of it before?

[Deleted User]

Yes, they can.

bradders1983

Seems a reasonable request. Bluetooth drains battery anyway.

Trina90

My employer has done the same, and we keep phones in lockers.

EssJayD

Personal phone - no.  Work phone - yes.

bradders1983

EssJayD said:

Personal phone - no.  Work phone - yes.

Saying that, sensible to switch bluetooth off on your personal phone anyway in a situation like that. Or, just switch the power off on the phone in your locker.

MoneySeeker1

Medical staff and police are doing so - having been told to by their employer.

Therefore every single employer can do so I'd say - and that includes solo self-employed people telling themselves to do so.

Dr_Crypto

Yes the NHS has told staff to do this. 

epm-84

EssJayD said:

Personal phone - no.  Work phone - yes.

Although, I think they can tell you to turn off your personal phone altogether in work.

MattMattMattUK

I do not specifically ask my staff to do so, but we generally agreed to do so. We are in shared offices and the app is simple, it does not take account of walls or floors, so despite us not being in the same room as those other people the app is unable to account for that. Today there is only me and one other in the office (staff can mostly work from home, so are free to when it works) and I have just had a look and because of people in offices to the side and above and below if I search with Bluetooth I can currently see eight other devices (although I can not be sure how many are phones, it looks like 5 possibly are), so yes it makes sense to turn it off in a workplace, especially if phones are left in lockers etc. 

[Deleted User]

bradders1983 said:

Seems a reasonable request. Bluetooth drains battery anyway.

I’ve never noticed a difference to be honest.