Need help...Please!!?

Question

1.what are the limits to an employee's right to privacy at work in regards to telecommunications and information?

2. what measures should a company take to protect its information and business?

Answer 1

Hello,

This questions kinda needs to be answered in respect to the type of the employers business. Some companies, such as security related or within the some government departments, have a very strict "use" policy which deems no use of facilities for personal use. With such employers, only the bathrooms are can be used in total privacy.
Within more normal companies, there have been several cases where an employee has felt that his/her rights of privacy have been violated but most have been decided in favor of the employer. The employers can state that the employee was using company paid phone lines, phones, computer, access to Internet, Internet account, and even e-mail. The employer then called any use of these items (not limited to those above) to be property of the company.

Your second question has many answers. First, a company should have as part of the new employee package a statement defining its privacy rules requiring the employee to sign as proof of understanding and accepting said rule. The rules, definitions, and regulations stated here can be used later for ground for dismissal or legal preceding agings the employee.

Other measure could include e-mail monitoring software and site blocking/monitoring servers. There are some companies that listen to outside calls made from the employees. I'm not a fan of any of these measures but I have seen them all used at client locations. I hope this helped.

Answer 2

1) Limits? You are not supposed to have private conversations, hence no privacy has to be guaranteed.

2) This can not be answered. It depends on the field the company works in. A bakery may protect it's secret recipe just by keeping silent about it. The pentagon will place armed men at YOUR door if you are trying to get theirs.