Caterpillar Faces Worker Biometric Privacy Lawsuit

Caterpillar Inc. is accused in a class action complaint of violating Illinois’ biometric privacy law.

Plaintiff Annastasia Rodriguez alleges in the putative class complaint that the construction equipment manufacturer scanned and retained workers’ fingerprints without informed consent in Illinois, violating the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act.

The lawsuit highlights the risk that companies, particularly employers that use biometric timekeeping systems to track workers’ hours, can face under the Illinois law.

Caterpillar allegedly required Rodriguez to use a fingerprint timekeeping system to clock in and out of a shift, or for meal breaks and rests, but didn’t inform of the specific ...