My boss informed me that there was a lot of internet usage going on at the workplace and that he was going to put an "internet screener," (as he called it) On a daily basis, I check my yahoo mail account, my myspace account, sometimes my ebay account, and various other things (pay cell phone bill, transfer funds, etc, etc) I was in my boss's office today, and to my absolute HORROR, I found a peice of paper listing my email accounts/user names AND PASSWORDS!! for ALL of the accounts that I access online. I am absolutely horrified, and feel that my privacy has been compromised. He never fully explained what this screener was, and I just figured it would allow him to see the names (only) of the websites that i visited..i.e yahoo.com, ebay.com, etc, etc. Well apparantly it gives him much much more. Can anyone please help me? Has this happened to anyone else? Has anyone else ever heard of a screener? Can someone please tell me if this is LEGAL? Because it certainly feels illegal.
2006-11-02 16:56:38 · 8 answers · asked by Gem 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Perfectly legal. You should watch the news more! If you are being paid to work for that company, work. Do not access anything personal except at lunch or breaktime.Our company also checks to make sure no one is going on naughty websites and can tell you what has been erased even! You can come in early or stay late for personal things, if you have no other choice. They are not interested in your bank account-only of you were paying bills on company time.
2006-11-02 17:09:25 · answer #1 · answered by life coach 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not illegal at all! If your on company time and a company computer your employer has every right to track your internet activities. If your company has a policy about computer uses for personal business you need to stop your activities immediately because you could be termintated based on violation of that policy. but to further protect your privacy and your job security I think you need to just wait until you get home to do those things..
2006-11-02 17:25:04 · answer #2 · answered by Ms Wonderful 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In court cases, over and over again, it's been determined that an employer can monitor any and all usage of an employer owned computer by any employee. Most companies even have it written clearly in their employee manuals. Bottom line?...don't write any e-mails or visit internet sites that you believe would compromise yourself at work.
2006-11-02 17:03:00 · answer #3 · answered by Jolly 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, your boss is within his rights to monitor all of your activity on company equipment. If you were my employee, I would be the one who is horrified to find that you are conducting all of this personal online business during work hours. You're fortunate this is all he has done.
2006-11-02 17:02:59 · answer #4 · answered by Patricia S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You tecnically can be fired for using business equipment for personal use.
He is being nice. Yes he legally can monitor all actions on the buisness computers.
If you don't like it..dont' check your personal accounts on the clock.
2006-11-02 16:58:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say legal however you are not suppose to be checking email, paying bill, and chatting on my space while you're at work
2006-11-02 16:59:58 · answer #6 · answered by Luckys Charm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's HIS business and HIS computer! Do your personal stuff on your own at home.
2006-11-02 17:06:01 · answer #7 · answered by Da Bomb 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, you use it on company time
2006-11-02 16:59:43 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋