Security

In this day and age, security was everywhere; a few years ago, when I was in law school, we could get in any door. Now the place is in lockdown. The main entrance is open to visitors, who are now asked to sign in; it isn't an absolute requirement, as I have yet to sign in for my class. Technically, I'm not a visitor, since I'm in a class; however, I don't have entrance credentials for other doors. It's card technology, like everywhere else. I don't think there had been security in place the last time I had taken a CLE; however, it was a morning class, so I may not have noticed.

Most reviews on which I have worked have had a card for entrance; one place had a keypad for after-hours entrance, but otherwise nothing, and another place had an old-fashioned lock and key system, in which we carried an actual key. I don't know what the penalty would've been for losing the key though; would they have been sufficiently concerned to re-key the lock and provide everyone with new keys? Not likely in my opinion.

A corporate client used biometrics so we were furnished with a photo id that had a chip and had fingerprint recognition. We had to flash the card at the light and put an index finger on the pad. Sometimes it wouldn't take, especially in cold weather. As a result there were sometimes lines to get in. Especially at peak start times. I never forgot my badge, but someone else found out that you could get a pass three times if you forgot it. After that you had to be escorted in by your manager. Because I'm no longer on that project, I don't know if she's had to be escorted.

Now I'm in a place with different security; we have a photo id and need to flash it at the reader upon entrance. The twist? The badge is also used to make the elevator move and to go to another part of the building. I don't know how many sections are in the building. So far I've only had to go a few places outside of my immediate work area, most of which have been in the next section, so only one activation each way. Someone told me that the staff pass I had on my first day probably had better access than the official ID.

If I lose it? I have the ability to get a day pass but don't know if there are restrictions or whether there's a charge for a replacement badge.