Clocking in with a fingerprint sounds great, right? It's easy, inexpensive (no more time cards!) and you can't cheat. But fingerprint-based systems have plenty of downside,too:
1. They can make you sick by spreading viruses and germs.
2. They can get you sued if you don't follow complicated new data privacy laws.
3. They're high-maintenance. Lotion, grease or dirt on a person's hand can smear the sensor's glass, making it difficult for others to clock in or out.
4. They may not work for some people who have fingerprints that are especially difficult to read: bricklayers and roofers (because their fingerprints are worn down), secretaries (because they handle a lot of paper), cancer patients (a side effect of chemotherapy drugs) and older people (their skin is less elastic).