If freshman Congressman Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania has his way, foreign call center employees would be required to disclose their physical location when U.S. consumers call them. The congressman, a Democrat, has filed legislation called the Call Center Consumer's Right to Know Act that would require call center employees to state their physical location when called by consumers. Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., sponsored a similar bill in 2003 and last year.
Altmire's supporters believe location disclosure would inform consumers that many of their calls have been redirected to foreign countries and will focus attention on the degree to which U.S. call center jobs have moved overseas. The issue is an important one in Altmire's region; according to the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, more than 20,000 persons are currently employed in call center work in southwestern Pennsylvania. It isn't a major thing to ask for, but are the benefits worth the hassle of making it necessary? What does Neowin think?
News source: InformationWeek
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