It is commonplace for potential employees to undergo pre-hiring urinalyses. It is also good practice for employees to be subject to random urinalyses, as well as mandatory testing following any incidents related to work. That begs the question, "What other aspects of privacy can be broached to protect an employer?" A standard perk for many individuals within a corporation is a company cell phone. With the advent of the smart phone, this has put a powerful computer in employees' hands. If the employer is paying the bill, to what extent have they the right to know what is being done with the equipment? In general, there is no right to privacy with regards to the use of company owned equipment and company owned email. State privacy laws vary, adding certain nuances to the general rule. The United States Stored Communications Act, found at 18 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq. limits who may access communications stored elsewhere online, although viewed on another device.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Just as urinalysis is used to protect from variable issues, so can reviewing activity on a company owned device. It is important to ensure no illegal activity is taking place that would put the company in peril. No one wants an embarrassing episode to come to light, that if detected in house, would harm the business brand. Corporate espionage can be averted. Productivity is easily monitored.
