Last month, administrators at Harvard University issued an apology to a number of staff members whose official school e-mail accounts were searched in the wake of a student cheating scandal, which broke last year. The investigation was searching for the dean responsible for leaking a confidential document to the college paper.
Now, reports are being issued that the search was not as limited as previously reported and Harvard is once again coming under scrutiny in the media. The school has put together a task force on the issue, but legally there is little question about the school’s right to check workplace emails.
Employees need to keep in mind that their employers own workplace email addresses, and any emails generated from them. Correspondence that employees hope to keep private should be sent from a private email address on a private computer.
Employers, on the other hand, should take steps to ensure that employees are notified that they should not expect privacy when using workplace emails. A clear technology use policy should include a disclaimer that warns employees about the potential for review.
If you have questions about your rights regarding technology use and employee privacy, contact a Minneapolis employment lawyer with LeBlanc Law & Mediation at 612-819-9652.
