Utah

Utah Workplace Recording Laws

By Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished March 23, 2026Reviewed May 15, 20264 min read

Under Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-4, Utah is a one-party consent state, so an employee may record any workplace conversation they participate in without notifying coworkers or supervisors. Employers may still enforce no-recording policies and discipline employees who violate them, but the recording itself remains legal under state law.

Utah's one-party consent law gives employees the legal right to record workplace conversations they participate in. Under Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-4, you can record meetings with your boss, conversations with HR, interactions with coworkers, and any other workplace discussion you are part of without telling anyone.

This guide explains how Utah's recording laws apply in the workplace, what both employees and employers can and cannot do, and how the NLRA interacts with state law.

Employee Recording Rights

Your Right to Record at Work

As a one-party consent state, Utah allows you to record any conversation you participate in. This means you can legally record:

Meetings with supervisors about performance or assignments
HR conversations including disciplinary meetings and grievance hearings
Conversations with coworkers about workplace conditions
Phone calls with clients or vendors that you participate in
Performance reviews and training sessions

What You Cannot Record

Conversations you are not part of (planting a hidden recorder to capture others)
In private areas like bathrooms or locker rooms (violates Utah voyeurism law 76-9-702.7)
Electronic communications between others without any participant's consent

Documenting Workplace Issues

Recording is valuable for documenting harassment, discrimination, retaliation, unsafe conditions (OSHA violations), and wage disputes.

Employer Surveillance

Utah two office chairs angled toward each other beside a window with a small voice recorder on the side table

Video Surveillance

Permitted: Sales floors, warehouses, parking lots, lobbies, hallways, cash register areas.

Prohibited: Bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, nursing rooms.

Utah does not have a specific employer video surveillance statute, but the voyeurism law (76-9-702.7) applies to cameras in areas with reasonable privacy expectations.

Audio Surveillance

If the employer is not a party to the recorded conversation, capturing audio could violate Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-4 (third degree felony). Many employers avoid audio recording.

Employer No-Recording Policies

Utah glass-walled conference room with figures behind translucent doors

Employers can adopt no-recording policies. Violating the policy can result in discipline or termination, but the recording remains legal under state law.

The NLRA protects recording that constitutes protected concerted activity, such as documenting unsafe conditions, wage violations, or union-related discussions. Blanket no-recording policies may violate Section 7. The controlling NLRB standard for evaluating employer work rules (including no-recording policies) is Stericycle, Inc., 372 NLRB No. 113 (2023). NLRB GC 25-05 (Feb. 2025) was a housekeeping rescission of earlier memos and does not reinstate the prior Boeing standard; Stericycle remains controlling. NLRB GC 25-07 established a narrow per se bar on surreptitious recording of collective bargaining sessions.

Using Workplace Recordings as Evidence

Utah a small audio recorder and over-ear headphones resting on a stack of legal documents

Recordings made under one-party consent are generally admissible in Utah courts for employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage disputes, and workers' compensation hearings. They can also be submitted to the EEOC and OSHA.

Best practices: Keep originals unedited, note date/time/participants, store on personal devices, back up immediately.

Remote Work Recording

One-party consent applies to virtual meetings (Zoom, Teams, Meet). If participants are in two-party consent states, the stricter law applies. Platform recording features typically notify all participants.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record my boss in Utah?

Yes. Utah's one-party consent law (77-23a-4) allows you to record any conversation you participate in at work without their knowledge. However, your employer may have a no-recording policy that could result in disciplinary action.

Can my [employer record](/can-an-employer-record-conversations-without-consent) me at work in Utah?

Employers can use video cameras in common work areas. They cannot place cameras in bathrooms, locker rooms, or changing areas. Audio recording requires one-party consent from a participant in the conversation.

Can I be fired for recording at work in Utah?

The recording is legal, but your employer can fire you for violating a company no-recording policy. If your recording is protected concerted activity under the NLRA, termination could be an unfair labor practice.

Can I use a workplace recording in a lawsuit?

Yes. Recordings made under one-party consent are generally admissible in Utah employment cases. Civil damages for illegal recording include $100/day or $10,000 minimum under Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-11.

Does my employer have to tell me about security cameras?

Utah does not require employers to notify employees about video surveillance. However, providing notice through signage or policy is a best practice.

Sources and References

Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-4 -- Interception of Communications(le.utah.gov).gov
Utah Code Ann. 77-23a-11 -- Civil Remedies(le.utah.gov).gov
National Labor Relations Act(nlrb.gov).gov
NLRB Memo on Electronic Surveillance(nlrb.gov).gov
OSHA(osha.gov).gov
EEOC(eeoc.gov).gov