When Smyth sued for his job, he lost the case. Keep in mind, too, that the number of companies monitoring e-mail messages has grown tremendously in the past two years, Schultz advises. Schultz says that employees need to be aware of a company's e-mail policy. While monitoring may feel intrusive, companies often monitor e-mail to protect internal security. More than 87 percent of information security managers believe unhappy employees are the most likely cause for data security problems.
Companies also monitor e-mail messages to protect other employees from inappropriate messages.
However, if you're the employer, Schultz says, it's not enough simply to have an e-mail policy that includes monitoring. You have to publicize that policy and enforce it. Never send a message that conveys information that is personal, confidential or inflammatory, Schultz says.