Well...it is different when we're talking private business. They can fire you but not jail you. My problem with this is an utter lack of faith in policy being applied across the board.
I worked at Lockheed in Burbank, both plants, back in the early 1960s; they inspected your lunchbox on the way out the door; saw a guy get fired on the spot one morning because he refused a work assignment with a fellow with whom he had a mutual dislike.
Had to have a security clearance to work there; when you got watched, it was by the man on the floor.
Everyone knew the policy.