Question about security cameras and work place?

I work in a small home town restaurant that has been telling their employees that they have a security camera. to monitor the help and customers. my question is, don't they have to post somewhere in the building that it is being monitored, also they say the cameras are hidden. Is that ethical?

No, if it is their business, they can do what they want. If you don't have anything to hide, why worry about it?

No they don't have to post a sign. And yes, it's ethical. What's sad is the fact that an employer cannot trust his employees or patrons to be honest and not steal.

Unless your State has a law explicitly requiring posting of such notice, they can do as they see fit.

Ethics are subjective. There's nothing unethical in using a video camera. Using people's image for defamatory purposes or profit without consent is illegal.

Most places post a sign because it adds to the security, if people know they are being watched they are less likely to be troublesome.

It all depends on your state... But most states it is legally required for them to post a sign saying that you are under closed circuit surveillance... Otherwise, you could as "a owner" put them in bathrooms... and you know where that is going...

Is it ethical for a small business to need cameras to scare their employees is the real question that needs to be asked... for it sounds like that's what's happening... or they think that some of the employees are skimping or giving more food or drink than they should...

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with camera's, I just think that in this case it's probably more of a scare tatic than anything else...