Understanding Your Privacy Rights At Work
Understandably, privacy is very important to most people. In your personal life, you are generally entitled to a great deal of privacy - your and your family's affairs often do not have to be anybody's business but your own. At work, however, the line of privacy you are entitled to often becomes much more blurred. This week, our Lake of the Ozarks attorneys are here to help you better understand your privacy rights in the workplace.
Your Computer
As a general rule, if the equipment you use for work belongs to your employer, he or she has the right to search its contents or monitor its use. This applies to several things, including your computer. If you are using a company-owned computer, your employer will likely be allowed to search your browser history and the files saved on your machine. Your employer will likely also be allowed to monitor your web activity throughout the day, such as by tracking which websites you visit.
Your Emails
While emails may seem like personal correspondence, your company email address belongs to your employer. As such, it is likely well within your employer's legal rights to read the emails sent to and from your professional email address. In order to ensure that the content within your emails remains private, we recommend that you limit yourself to sending personal emails from your personal email address (and from your own computer) when you are not at work.
Your Phone Calls
Employers are generally allowed to monitor their employees' phone calls for quality assurance purposes, but they are typically supposed to stop listening to a phone call once they determine that it is personal. If the company has chosen to institute a policy against personal calls at work, employers or supervisors will likely be allowed to listen to calls long enough to determine whether or not they are personal.
Your Text Messages
Whether or not text messages sent at work can remain private typically boils down to the same rule of thumb: if you are texting on a company-owned or company-provided device, your employer will likely be allowed to read your texts if deemed necessary. If the device belongs to you personally, the texts you send should remain private.
Your Day-To-Day Activities
Security cameras are a common feature in most companies - especially those in the retail or restaurant industries. However, employers of all industries are typically allowed to use security cameras to monitor their employees' behavior, providing that the use of the cameras is not inappropriately invasive. For example, the use of security cameras in bathrooms or dressing rooms is not allowed.
Questions Or Concerns? Contact Us
Whether you are the employer or the employee, it is important that you have an accurate understanding of privacy rights within the workplace. While the general descriptions we just provided should be helpful, it is important to recognize that some judgment calls are made on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions about workplace privacy, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our business attorneys in Camdenton MO.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
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Your Computer
As a general rule, if the equipment you use for work belongs to your employer, he or she has the right to search its contents or monitor its use. This applies to several things, including your computer. If you are using a company-owned computer, your employer will likely be allowed to search your browser history and the files saved on your machine. Your employer will likely also be allowed to monitor your web activity throughout the day, such as by tracking which websites you visit.
Your Emails
While emails may seem like personal correspondence, your company email address belongs to your employer. As such, it is likely well within your employer's legal rights to read the emails sent to and from your professional email address. In order to ensure that the content within your emails remains private, we recommend that you limit yourself to sending personal emails from your personal email address (and from your own computer) when you are not at work.
Your Phone CallsEmployers are generally allowed to monitor their employees' phone calls for quality assurance purposes, but they are typically supposed to stop listening to a phone call once they determine that it is personal. If the company has chosen to institute a policy against personal calls at work, employers or supervisors will likely be allowed to listen to calls long enough to determine whether or not they are personal.
Your Text Messages
Whether or not text messages sent at work can remain private typically boils down to the same rule of thumb: if you are texting on a company-owned or company-provided device, your employer will likely be allowed to read your texts if deemed necessary. If the device belongs to you personally, the texts you send should remain private.
Your Day-To-Day Activities
Security cameras are a common feature in most companies - especially those in the retail or restaurant industries. However, employers of all industries are typically allowed to use security cameras to monitor their employees' behavior, providing that the use of the cameras is not inappropriately invasive. For example, the use of security cameras in bathrooms or dressing rooms is not allowed.
Questions Or Concerns? Contact Us
Whether you are the employer or the employee, it is important that you have an accurate understanding of privacy rights within the workplace. While the general descriptions we just provided should be helpful, it is important to recognize that some judgment calls are made on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions about workplace privacy, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our business attorneys in Camdenton MO.
Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
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Camdenton, MO 65020 GET A MAP
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