Dive Brief:

• A Pennsylvania lawmaker has proposed legislation to keep employers from requiring workers to have microchip implants as a condition of their employment, reports the Morning Call.
• Rep. Tina Davis (D) introduced the bill, the Employee Subdermal-Microchip Protection Act, following news that a Wisconsin company offered to implant microchips in employees' hands to allow them to open doors, use equipment and operate vending machines at work. 
• The Pennsylvania bill would prohibit mandatory microchipping. Pennsylvania's Department of Labor & Industry would be responsible for investigating claims of retaliation for refusing the chip, and companies that violate the law would be fined.

Dive Insight:

If employee microchipping becomes mainstream, employers will have several issues to consider, including the potential regulation of its use.

In addition, it raises questions about happens when an employee is terminated. Organizations can deactivate the chip, just as they would with an employee's key card. However, the difference is that the chip is implanted in the employee's hand, which could trigger disputes about whether the employer is responsible for removing it and covering any costs, and if a disgruntled departing employee will cooperate with the procedure. Employers also would need to consider whether they would be responsible for any side effects of the implanting and removing procedures.

So far, the few employers that have talked about the technology publicly aren't making implants mandatory. But, as the points out, employees might feel obligated to consent to an implant for fear of retaliation.