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From: annala%neuro.usc.edu@usc.edu (A J Annala)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Class Action Suit Against Epson Charges Email Spying
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Date: 2 Sep 90 07:15:02 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 622, Message 6 of 12


The right of employee privacy in telephone conversations on employer
owned equipment was settled a few years ago in a suit brought against
one of the major air carriers.  My recollection is vague, but I seem
to remember an air carrier tried to dismiss a reservations employee
for some kind of union organizing activity.  The dismissal was based
on surrepticious monitoring of an employee telephone conversation.
The court ordered the employee reinstated ... with probable damages.

Email is a bity more complicated.  My gut reaction is that there is a
reasonable expectation of privacy on the part of the employee in the
absence of any official notice that email will be monitored.  I also
suspect outside individuals will have some right of action in the
event their communications are intercepted.  Frankly, I believe all
email should be encrypted and not made available in any form to an
employer without probable cause to believe a crime is committed.


AJ Annala