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Original poster

My boss reads my emails

46 replies

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 20:23

I found out today that my boss reads my emails. They said they had found something they were going to print out and when I looked to see where it had come from it was from my email address. Sent to me. It related to a financial statement sent from a company and as I am the accounts person I normally receive them - standard fare really. But I am miffed they had obviously been going through my emails. It had only just come into my email. Is this normal? Bosses out there - do you read your staffs' emails? if that is the right way of putting it

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Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 21:15

IT should mind their own business and get a life IMO ! (we don't actually have an IT department as such lol!)

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FleeceDetective · 04/04/2018 21:32

I'm pretty sure they can read your private emails too (hotmail/gmail accounts) if you are using work equipment to access them.

bertyflump · 04/04/2018 21:35

I work in HR and have had this issue come up a lot in various companies. It depends on your company policy and what's in your contract. Officially, they could argue that the work emails belong to the company and they can monitor your emails IF they have a legitimate reason for doing so (e.g if you're not around and they need important client info or if they suspect you of sending inappropriate emails etc). However, monitoring should only be done when absolutely necessary and they should have a clear policy so that everyone knows this is the case. Also, they would be on dodgy ground from a data protection perspective if they were looking at emails that were clearly non-work related. I think you're right to be a bit pissed off - I would be too!

bertyflump · 04/04/2018 21:37

Fleecedetective - they would absolutely be breaching DPA/GDPR if they ever accessed your private Hotmail accounts etc. Don't let any company tell you they can do that...

Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 21:45

Data Protection Act? what is GDPR?

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TittyGolightly · 04/04/2018 21:53

GDPR is the new data protection regulations coming into force next month.

bertyflump · 04/04/2018 21:53

GDPR are the new regs that will replace DPA next month. All v boring. I've also just seen there was some case law last year that ruled that an employee's human rights were breached by their employer reading their emails. This would only be in the case of clearly private emails tho. I wouldn't make a massive fuss if it were me, but I'd perhaps just ask them what the IT policy is and I think it's fair enough to ask why it was necessary to access your emails without your knowledge.

mistermagpie · 04/04/2018 21:58

I work in the public sector and our policies are very clear. IT obviously monitoring emails in the background (key words or dodgy images would flag up etc) but my actual managers would only be given access to my emails if it formed part of an investigation into something that they thought I was doing wrong. For example excessive use of company email for personal reasons, or if they suspected I was bullying someone via email. They would not be allowed to access my emails just because they wanted to.

I can give other colleagues access to my email if I want, some senior staff do this so their PA can respond to what's coming in. It's not really advised though, from a security and data protection point of view. My boss isn't even allowed to know my password and I have to lock my computer when I leave my desk.

That's all pretty normal where I work. What's happening to you is the complete opposite!

Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 21:58

Hi yes I'm not going to make a big fuss as I think my boss is just very controlling of the business and i don't think he means it personally (I have only been there a short time) however it is a big wake up call for me and I am glad it happened now really. Not that I would do anything wrong.

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Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 22:00

I take your point mistermagpie - our messages crossed. I think that there should be strict rules about it as you say

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sockunicorn · 04/04/2018 22:02

I worked in finance & law and all emails to my company email address were read. Also had keyword checker on them for certain words.

Pretty sure as well my external personal emails were read so stopped logging on via work computer.

Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 22:10

wow - what were the certain words sockunicorn? if you don't mind me asking :)

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mineofuselessinformation · 04/04/2018 22:14

Your employers have every right to see what you're saying on behalf of their company surely?
That's putting aside any personal stuff - which should definitely not be sent using company IT.
As long as you're following policies you have nothing to worry about.

Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 22:19

Well, I disagree mineofuselessinformation I'm afraid. I think it is a breach of an employees rights if they are constantly being monitored and also poor management IMO

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Glug44 · 04/04/2018 22:20

Check your contract. If they have allowed some personal use then they are not allowed to actively monitor but they can store and gain access.

bertyflump · 04/04/2018 22:24

I agree the company has a right to see this info if they need to, but it's a matter of respect isn't it? It's not great for employee morale and if someone is there in the office and you need an email, why wouldn't you ask them to forward it to you? It's just totally unnecessary IMO. Like rifling around in someone's drawers.

Original poster

Monkee4 · 04/04/2018 22:27

Thanks - I will check my contract (actually I don't think they actually gave it to me - so there's another conversation to have...)
On a personal note - I like to think I am a hard working, trustworthy polite individual who is also a team player and something like this makes me feel undervalued quite frankly.

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stressedoutpa · 04/04/2018 23:29

IME the standard is NOT to have access to your emails unless someone has access to your mailbox that you are aware of. In the job I just left, I had access to the three mailboxes of my directors but I was their PA so it was my job to know what was happening.

Your email is the property of the company but I wouldn't expect to be monitored unless they had a problem with my performance. Having said that I always operate my email account as if I am being monitored.... As this thread shows you just never know who is watching....

BettyBaggins · 05/04/2018 00:06

A case of bullying and harrassment was revealed recently from the monitoring of internal messaging system as a friends work place.

EBearhug · 05/04/2018 01:58

It's in our contracts that emails may be monitored. In reality, they will only be monitored if there's an HR investigation.

Things will get blocked with certain types of attachments, and they may scan for swear words, at least for external mail. PAs will usually have access to the relevant senior managers' mail.

Managers generally won't have access to anyone else's mail, though I suspect they could request access in particular circumstances.

They have blocked all webmail after that was how a virus got in, but that's not such an issue now smartphones are ubiquitous.

bananasandwicheseveryday · 05/04/2018 09:03

I work in a school. Our internet policy and he staff handbook make it clear that our emails and indeed, all our internet activity using the school's equipment / wi-fi, can and will be monitored by the LA IT department. It is also clear that school equipment and wi-fi is not to be used for anything other than school business.

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