Companies have legal right to review workers' Internet use

Thursday, December 17, 2009• No Comments

Companies have legal right to review workers' Internet use

Employers need to understand that they have both a legal right and duty to momnitor hwo their employees use their company PCs. But they have to be smart and responsible about how they go about it…

Companies have legal right to review workers' Internet use
By Eric Eyre, Staff writer Charleston Gazette

Most employees believe their boss doesn't have the right to regulate and view their e-mail and Internet use at work. But businesses have the legal right -- and a duty -- to do so, according to lawyers from the Charleston firm of Spilman Thomas & Battle.

"It can cause so many workplace disruptions," said Eric Iskra, who spoke Tuesday at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce's annual Human Resources Summit in Charleston. "You need to manage it aggressively, but you also have to be aware of the pitfalls."

Employers must first establish policies that address e-mail, Web browsing and the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, Iskra said. Read more ›