Email Privacy Rights

The growing number of employees with desktop computers and work-provided laptop computers has increased management concerns for balancing "potential liability and loss of productivity issues against the employees' rights to privacy" (Beall 4). While privacy rights are generally protected for individuals through the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the 1993 Privacy Act, and the Fourth Amendment which reads, "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures," laws pertaining to employee rights and employer rights with respect to electronic communications remain murky at best (Beall 4). In the fast growing environment of the technology-equipped workplace, the law is having a difficult time staying abreast of new developments, particularly with respect to employers' rights to "inspect, monitor, and control their workplace, versus employees' asserted privacy rights" (Morris A34). This analysis will discuss employer rights to do so versus employee rights to privacy.

According to Joan Urdang, if, as an employer, "you want to rifle through your employees' email message, rest assured that the courts are on your side" (18). There is ample evidence in the courts and from corporate statistics that show Urdang's statement to be true. In Frasier vs. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody ruled that Nationwide's access of Fras

Related Essays

E-Commerce Law .... set up an email policy that was communicated to employees" (Email Privacy). .... ensure that they are not violating intellectual property rights or privacy rights. .... (1868 7 )

Computer Monitoring of Employees In this .... privacy rights experts, and workers' rights advocatesA�are angered .... They argue that privacy is a guaranteed human .... effectively in a conversation as in an email. .... (2728 11 )

Human Rights Saudi Arabia .... still lags sorely behind in human rights progress .... It routinely invades the privacy of its citizens and .... and electronic forms of communication like email and the .... (1462 6 )

E Commerce Fraud Pathfinder .... significant to law and ecommerce fraud - individual privacy rights. .... DRUGS CARNIVORE: WILL IT DEVOUR YOUR PRIVACY? .... This journal provides daily email alerts on .... (3737 15 )

Case Issues .... was being inundated with pornographic email solicitations and .... and bigotry has to do with privacy and contract .... not implicate First Amendment rights because such .... (1757 7 )

Category: Government - E