What are the limits to an employee's right to privacy at work?

Question

What are the limits to an employee's right to privacy at work in regards to telecommunications and information? What measures should a company take to protect its information and business?

Answer 1

Pretty much if you use company time and/or company equipment or access, it is their property.

Some companies have different policies, but without them the standard is pretty much that way.

While personal devices are your property, what you do with them on company time is a "Grey Area". The actual information exchanged is private, however in the areas of security and protection of intelectual property there is an opening in the privacy protection to also protect the company or individual who owns the information.

Some companies have policies in affect where communications are screened or randomly recorded. Some have systems that will block wireless data transmition except those in use by their own systems.
Many companies are now instituting policies where employess with access to certain information are informed of rules of use and exchange and must agree to abided with them in order to fill the position.

Answer 2

Most companies take some kind of measures. They can browse through employee's computer use, Internet visits, E-mail since they do own the equipment, AND the network.

I also know that some employers do listen in on conversations, depending if they have suspicion. I know that in one occasion, someone was making calls out of the country & state on their extension. Not only was the person terminated, but was actually deducted the cost fo the calls from his final check.

Sucks, but when it's the bosses time and equipment, you gotta use your discretion.

Answer 3

~Anyone who leaks privileged company proprietary information should be shot and the company should spare no expense in rooting out the spies. What did you get caught trying to sell? PTL