Question regarding email monitoring
New2HR
19 Posts
We have a supervisor who requires her two reports to have their emails forwarded or asks the IT manager for access to their email accounts while they are on vacation. Both of them are uncomfortable with this and are questioning their rights regarding this action. I understand the company owns the computer and email domain and therefore, emails may be monitored. However, does the specific supervisor have the right to access these emails or do the employees have the right to refuse to comply?
Thanks for your help!
Comments
Here is an exerpt from our policy:
"
Notwithstanding the Company’s right to retrieve and read any
electronic mail messages, such messages should be treated as confidential by
other employees and accessed only by the intended recipient. Employees are not authorized to retrieve or
read any electronic mail messages that are not sent to them. Any exception to this policy must receive
prior approval of the employee’s supervisor."
Guess I kind of answered my question here in that I need to ask her Supervisor if he authorized her request.
[quote user="HRforME"]I would not have any policy that allows any confidentiality at all in company-related emails. The employees should have personal emails if they want to send personal information. Of course HR and Legal are probably two departments that could be exceptions. But I don't see an issue with a supervisor having access to company emails of their subordinates because they SHOULD know what the employee is working on...there should be nothing to hide.[/quote]
[Y]