If Your Company Is Not Managing Employee E-Mails, Internet Use, and Blogging, You Could Be Exposing Yourself To Unforeseen Legal Liability
Peter K. Newman
I. Introduction
Although the advantages of employee use of e-mail, the internet, and blogs are obvious, it has created a significant number of potential legal problems for employers. Your employees’ electronic communications can expose you to potential legal liability. To prevent or limit this liability, every employer needs to proactively manage employee e-mail, Internet use, and blogging.
II. Overview Of The Potential Legal Challenges Created By Employees’ Electronic Communications and Practical Advice On How To Address Them
At yesterday’s PCMS’ Best Practices 2006 Seminar, I made a presentation entitled “Why Every Employer Needs To Proactively Manage Employee E-mail, Internet Use and Blogging.” A copy of my presentation materials is attached for your review. As you will read, the main take away message from my presentation is that every employer needs to proactively manage their employees’ electronic communications The following is a list of five preventive steps you should consider adopting:
. Decide which employees at your company need access to electronic media and restrict access to just those employees.
2. Assign these employees secret codes and passwords so that you can ensure that access is limited and monitor use by the authorized employees.
3. Adopt an E-mail, Internet Use and Blogging Policy, communicate it to your employees, and train them on the policy.
4. Adopt a Computerized Information Retention Policy and make sure all the key players in management, legal, human resources, and IT know what they must do when a claim is threatened or brought so you can avoid spoliation of evidence charges.
5. Finally, stay abreast of the new legal developments regarding electronic communications in the workplace and be prepared to respond to these new challenges.
III. Attend Our December 7, 2006 Employment Law Update
One way in which you can stay abreast of the latest legal developments regarding employee electronic communications and today’s other “hot” workplace issues, is by attending our Employment Law Update. Our Update is complimentary and has been approved for 4 hours of SHRM certification credit. If you have not already registered, you can do so today by contacting Kathy Richey at either (513) 852-5081 or kmrichey@woodlamping.com.
admin @ March 13, 2007