NEW YORK, NY March 26, 2008 — City officials say it's no different from punching a clock. But crime scene investigators are complaining about having to use palm-print scanners to track how many hours they've worked.

The palm-print system is called CityTime and it's now being used by thousands of city workers in 17 agencies.

Forensic scientists from the Medical Examiner's office staged a protest outside the Health Department of yesterday.

Criminalist Sarah Phillips says the palm scanners are degrading and intrusive.

PHILLIPS: And I also have health concerns, because there's no posted information on how often these systems are going to be cleaned.

REPORTER: The city's Office of Labor Relations says each hand scanner is coated with an anti-microbial agent and is no less sanitary than the average doorknob.