Glossary > Employment Law > Employee Privacy > Workplace Surveillance And Monitoring

Email Monitoring

Email monitoring refers to the practice where employers keep track of the emails sent and received by their employees using company-provided email accounts. This monitoring can involve reviewing the content, recipients, and timing of emails.

Example #1

An employer installs software to automatically scan all emails for specific keywords related to confidential company information to prevent data leaks.

Example #2

A supervisor checks an employee's emails to see if they are discussing work-related matters during work hours.

Misuse

Misuse of email monitoring can occur when employers access employees' personal emails without permission or use email content to discriminate against employees based on personal characteristics like race, gender, or religion. It's crucial to protect against misuse to safeguard employees' privacy rights and prevent unfair treatment in the workplace.

Benefits

An example of a beneficial use of email monitoring is investigating potential misconduct in the workplace, such as harassment or sharing confidential information. Monitoring emails can help employers maintain a safe and compliant work environment.

Conclusion

Email monitoring can be a valuable tool for employers to ensure workplace productivity and compliance, but it must be conducted ethically and within legal boundaries to protect employees' privacy and prevent discrimination or unfair treatment.

Last Modified: 4/30/2024