Under ECPA, an employee’s communications are not protected from intrusion if s/he has been given a written policy statement and signed it, or if the communications are related to a criminal endeavor.

It’s easy for employers to monitor email. Messages sent to others within the company’s network pass through a central hub on the company’s email server. A message outside the network does not move through the hub, but will pass through a series of other computers until it reaches its destination. Any email that is saved in the account (from inside or out) can easily be accessed, even if the account is protected by a password. The company’s network administrator is the gatekeeper so to speak. Deleted messages can often be recovered as well, so deleting may offer little or no protection. As the owner of the computer system, in most cases the employer is entirely within its rights to examine the content of any materials contained there.

In August, National Public Radio reported that most employers don’t mind an occasional use of business email for personal reasons. A quick message to say “good morning” or “I have the tickets, see you at 5:30” isn’t probably going to cause a problem. But abuse your employer’s email and you could lose your job.

What’s the moral of the story? Use your employer’s email sparingly for personal reasons. And, if you are working, but looking for a new job, do not under any circumstances use your employer’s computer system to email that resume or surf Monster.

Information sources for this article:
www.npr.org: “Surfing the Web on the Company Dime,” All Things Considered, August 23, 2006.
www.job-hunt.org
www.hresquire.com.

Meet two of our new Career Marketplace clients. These talented young women are just starting their careers. If you’d like to see their resumes, please contact Benita Ugoline: 816-471-0550.

Courtney Adams seeks entry-level marketing position

Courtney has been bitten by the marketing bug and is focused on a career in brand management. What ignited her enthusiasm for this path is a project she worked on at Iowa State University while pursuing her MBA. As she talked to me about re-positioning a major packaged good product with consumers, her enthusiasm grew.

But there’s more to Courtney than her bright eyes and smile. She’s thoughtful, too. Her choice of where to study marketing reflects this. “I went to Howard University in Washington, D.C. for my undergraduate marketing degree because I wanted an urban experience, an urban environment bigger than Kansas City. But I chose Iowa State for my master’s degree because their marketing program has a team approach, and I thought a small city experience would be a good counterbalance to DC and Kansas City. I believe my choice of universities enhances my ability to adapt and be comfortable in most work situations.”

Danielle Scott seeks entry-level finance or wealth management position

Danielle clearly has her eye on the future and readily describes her ideal job as working in wealth management. “My goal is to become a Certified Financial Planner with my own business.” As a means to that end, Danielle pursued and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with emphasis in finance from Florida A&M University.

When I asked Danielle why she wanted to pursue a career in wealth management she said, “I want to provide a service to the African American community that is truly needed. Many African Americans do not have a basic knowledge of financial planning, including investing and using credit wisely.”

Danielle has a quiet but boundless energy. You see it on her resume where she outlines her volunteer experience, work history, participation in student organizations, and major coursework. It goes without saying that Danielle knows how to multi-task, but when you ask her, Danielle describes herself as tenacious, adaptable, and as having lots of integrity.

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