Employees Privacy Rights Are Limited When Using Company Computers
By:
David S. Barmak, JD CEO
An employer is permitted to monitor employees engaged in business discussion or using business email or accessing websites on company-owned devices or networks. An employee has a limited right to privacy when using his/her employer’s computer for personal matters and waives any right to privacy by virtue of any express language as such in an Employee Handbook. Nevertheless, employers will be able to access employee personal email communication and internet usage only if there is a legitimate business reason to do so.
Employers need to ensure that their Employee Handbooks and electronic communications polices clearly and unambiguously express that company computers are for company business and that all communications made using company computers are accessible to the company and will not be considered “private.”
