Communication

Employee Privacy Report April McCurty COM/285 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 9/9/ 2010 Janie Landry Every day people use their personal information in one form or another. When people pay bills at a store, online or over the phone they are using personal information. When people use their personal information they are knowingly giving it away. However, sometimes people do not know that they are giving their information away; this personal privacy. As employee a person’s privacy is limited to what is defined by the employer. Employers want to be sure that their employees are performing as they should. To ensure that employees are working employers monitor the workplace. Workplace monitoring leads to privacy-invasive monitoring like video monitoring, telephone monitoring, e-mail and Internet filtering, and different types of tests (such as drug and psychological testing). E-mail and Internet Use and Privacy The business world is overflowing with new technologies that enable employees to be more efficient at their jobs. This new technology also makes it possible for employers to monitor an employee’s footsteps. An employer can monitor the phone calls made from company phones, voice and electronic mail on company property, and the use of the Internet through company computers. The email use policy at Eagles Nest Development Center is that e-mail for work related purposes and employees should refrain from using company e-mail for personal reasons. The reasons for this policy are that employees should be working at all times while on company premises, unless otherwise instructed. In addition it states that e-mail use for personal reasons can expose the company computer systems to unnecessary threats and expenses. For example, at Eagles Nest Development Center an employee was checking her e-mail at which time she decided to download an attachment that contained a virus. Her e-mail provider gave her a warning message and she still proceeded to download the attachment. The company computer had an exposure to a virus and the computer was in need of repair, which cost time and money. The employee caused the main computer to be shut down, which slowed business because other employees were not able to sign in and the main computer was not able to generate when each child was checking out could. This incident was the reason for the change in policy. In the past employees were allowed the use of e-mail on breaks and before leaving shift for the day. Now employees are no longer permitted the usage of personal e-mail on company computers. Internet use is for work related purposes as well. Internet use is a little more flexible however networking sites are strictly against company policy. Employees have access to articles and other information through the Internet as long as they remain within company approval. Unlike the e-mail policy, employees are allowed access to some sites (excluding networking sites and sites with offensive and obscene material) during breaks. New employees are informed of the privacy policy during orientation. The company states that employees should not expect privacy while using company property, including e-mail, Internet, company phones, and if necessary teacher lounge. This policy was to ensure safety, address issues such as child abuse, and ensure employee performance. In addition employees must remember that the use of the Internet has very limited privacy. Eagles Nest Development reminds employees that they are a reflection of the company and they should conduct themselves in an appropriate manner when outside of company premises. Laws and Regulations When an individual becomes an employee of a company, their right to privacy is increasingly dominated by their employers. According to Friedman & Reed (2007), “several factors have influenced this wearing down of workplace privacy to include an increased competitive business environment, legislation ostensibly enacted to protect individuals’ privacy but which also largely acts to protect employers’ interest, new technology enhances employers’ ability to monitor electronic communications, and the need to avoid costly lawsuits”. Currently laws regulating employee e-mail and Internet use are few. Federal laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), offer employees privacy in communications. Even though the intent of the ECPA is to stop the intentional interception of electronic communications, employers have found loopholes that have allowed them to conduct employee monitoring (Friedman & Reed 2007.). Since the EPCA other legislations have made an effort to increase employee privacy (Friedman & Reed 2007). In some cases the lack of state laws regulating workplace privacy encourages the implementation of electronic monitoring in the workplace. Implementation Companies implement e-mail and Internet use policies to define what browsing behavior is acceptable in the workplace and to make sure that employees are following the rules in the workplace. Employers want to avoid Internet threats, such as spyware programs, and malicious viruses that pass into the company network from e-mail and Internet use. These malicious viruses and programs can corrupt company data or open a security risk by allowing unauthorized third parties to access information. The use of e-mail and Internet policy serves as protection from legal complications that may result from inappropriate material usage at work. An employer is liable for mishaps that an employee may have caused by browsing inappropriate sites or violating applicable laws. In addition to network breach the use of e-mail and the Internet at work can result in lower productivity. Employees may spend more time browsing, shopping online, and chatting than doing work related tasks. The company in turn loses money because of lost productivity. Employee Assumptions The assumption of e-mail and Internet use by employees is that it is casual. Employees use e-mail to communicate with coworkers in and out of the workplace. Most employees assume that because e-mail has login protection that it is private and cannot be accessed by employers. Employees assume that because of their freedom of speech, which includes communicating, they have private e-mails (Locker &, Kienzler 2008). E-mails serve different purposes such as sending documents, having conversations, or asking for information (Locker &, Kienzler 2008). However, the purpose of an e-mail does not apply to all e-mails. In the workplace e-mails should relate to work. Some employees also assume that employers need justification to monitor their e-mail and Internet use. Other employees may assume that misuse of e-mail and the Internet would only violate the employers’ policies. Employers are struggling with workplace monitoring and simply violating an employee’s privacy. In conclusion, e-mail use, internet use, and privacy policies are considerably important issues that should be addressed in the workplace. Companies should clearly identify their e-mail and internet polices to their employees to avoid misuse of a company’s network. Understanding these policies can also prevent any security threats that can cause damage to critical data. Reference Friedman, B., & Reed, L. (2007, June). Workplace privacy: Employee relations and legal implications of monitoring employee e-mail use. Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal, 19(2), 75. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from University of Phoenix Library. Locker, K.O., and Kienzler, D.S. (2008). Business and administrative communication (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.