kind of ticked off

rockcat · Jan 18, 2005

I'm kind of ticked off - do you think I have a right to be? I am allowed to have personal email at work. I took a vacation day yesterday to take care of some personal things (routiene bloodwork, mamogram, and getting my car serviced). While I was out, my boss sat at my desk because she was doing my job. She read my email! It was only jokes from my boyfriend's mom and I probably would have shared them with her anyways, but I feel like my privacy was violated. I know it's a privilage to be able to have personal email at work, and I am thankful for that, but do I have a right to be ticked off?

sharonkay · Jan 18, 2005

well just because she might be "allowed" to read you mail doesn't mean that any reasonable person should do that to a coworker-even a subordinant (sp??)

I would be totally pissed

catlover7731 · Jan 18, 2005

that is a violation of ones personal space. I would do this next time get someone to send you an email really gross, or maybe pornographic?

so if she does this again she will be shocked, because you really can't complain to your boss, unless you want to get fired so this would be my little revenge.

rockcat · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by catlover7731

that is a violation of ones personal space. I would do this next time get someone to send you an email really gross, or maybe pornographic?

so if she does this again she will be shocked, because you really can't complain to your boss, unless you want to get fired so this would be my little revenge.

She is my boss - and one of the owners.

That would be funny otherwise, though!

mrsd · Jan 18, 2005

Did she tell you she read your e-mail? How did she log into your account? Is it password protected?

I would feel violated if someone checked my e-mail, but anything that is written can be found out and shared. It is never truly personal unless it stays in your mind.

Make sure your friends NEVER send anything you wouldn't want your entire office to know or the whole world to know.

I'm sorry she did what she did. You can discuss your feelings with her, after you calm down. Or you can let it go. That depends on your relationship and how much the matter means to you. If it bothered me a lot, I'd talk it over with her. A word of caution: she might feel offended at you for mentioning it, and then you'll have two offended people who have to work together.

mamacat · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by catlover7731

that is a violation of ones personal space. I would do this next time get someone to send you an email really gross, or maybe pornographic?

so if she does this again she will be shocked, because you really can't complain to your boss, unless you want to get fired so this would be my little revenge.

That's not a good idea. Yeah, I would be so angry too, but the fact is, even when you are allowed to use your work e-mail for personal stuff, your employer still has a right to read your mail. That being said, as a matter of decency, manners, and workplace morale, they should only do it when there's a legitimate suspicion that you're using it for improper purposes (which would include things like pornography--or conducting an illegal business, or competing with your employer). Honestly, if you have a good working relationship with your boss, I would calmly ask her why she read your e-mail--perhaps she was screening for incoming business mails that had to be addressed. Even if that's the case, I'd ask why she read something that was clearly personal and express to her how uncomfortable it makes you that she did that.

amberthe bobcat · Jan 18, 2005

She may be your boss and one of the owners, but she has no right to read your email, even if they pay for the internet service. If they allow you to have email, that is fine, but that does not give them the right to read it. Can you put a password on your email account to prevent them from reading it??

rosiemac · Jan 18, 2005

This is one of the reasons why i don't get private e-mails at work unless someone really needs to get hold of me.

We had a letter for an employee that one of his debt collectors sent because he wasn't replying to them so they sent it to us, and even though it was marked for his attention at the end of the day it was the companies name and address that was on the envelope so we were entitled to open it.

Were very careful where i work because theres so many employees these days suing their employers for the least little thing so we also go by the rules and have employed a company to tell us if were right or wrong in a situation and opening e-mails as well as private mail is one of them "if we wanted".

And i'd be very careful on sending phornography through as well because here that could be instant dismissal.

cirque · Jan 18, 2005

If your at all a paranoid person, don't even bother reading this.. you really do not want to know how little privacy you really have out there.
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Employers have every right to read any mail on their systems. Most generally will not unless there is a problem reported, and most have enough respect for their employees not to just as a matter of practice and some just plain do not want to get involved in anything "bad" or sued by their employees wether or not they have a chance of winning. Just because they might have told you its ok to get personal email, that does not mean its actually "private". I seem to remember some privacy act that basically boils down to you not having any.. anyone know what I am thinking of? Even deleted mail is often not really deleted and available for the IT people to read or the owner etc. Don't forget, any website you goto from work systems is also logged as well in most cases. You ARE being watched! heh

rockcat · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by Cirque

If your at all a paranoid person, don't even bother reading this.. you really do not want to know how little privacy you really have out there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employers have every right to read any mail on their systems. Most generally will not unless there is a problem reported, and most have enough respect for their employees not to just as a matter of practice and some just plain do not want to get involved in anything "bad" or sued by their employees wether or not they have a chance of winning. Just because they might have told you its ok to get personal email, that does not mean its actually "private". I seem to remember some privacy act that basically boils down to you not having any.. anyone know what I am thinking of? Even deleted mail is often not really deleted and available for the IT people to read or the owner etc. Don't forget, any website you goto from work systems is also logged as well in most cases. You ARE being watched! heh

I do know that legally she has a right to read my email; however, morally I think it's wrong. I will probably never say anything to her. She's out sick today anyway, so I have some time to think about it. I think I will change my password though. Both the business and private are opened with the same password. I'm going to change the private one.

Thanks for all of your responses!

rosiemac · Jan 18, 2005

Id say you were right in not saying anything because you don't want any bad feeling between both of you

cirque · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by Rockcat

I do know that legally she has a right to read my email; however, morally I think it's wrong. I will probably never say anything to her. She's out sick today anyway, so I have some time to think about it. I think I will change my password though. Both the business and private are opened with the same password. I'm going to change the private one.

Thanks for all of your responses!

Hey if shes out today, go read her email.. see if she likes it as much as you like having yours read

Of course, if you dont have a second job lined up and waiting, that might not be the best idea posted.

jennyr · Jan 18, 2005

I learnt long ago that email is not secure from anyone, let alone private from those on the same network or with access to your computer. And as said, a company can if it likes find out exactly how long you have been logged onto any net site, as well as all your emails. But there is a difference between moral and legal rights, and unless someone had a good reason to go into your personal space, or thought you were spending too much time on personal correspondence, then I think you are right to feel the way you do. I agree though that there is not much you can do about it if you want to retain good relationships, other than change your password.

sweets · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by catlover7731

that is a violation of ones personal space. I would do this next time get someone to send you an email really gross, or maybe pornographic?

so if she does this again she will be shocked, because you really can't complain to your boss, unless you want to get fired so this would be my little revenge.

This is a GREAT way to get fired. We had an entire department fired a while back because they were passing around a picture. The problem was, it was a picture of a naked male on top of a bed entitled MY KIND OF BEDSPREAD. Someone passed it to the wrong person. Security got wind of it, and traced it around the department. All 15 people were fired for passing pornography.

amberthe bobcat · Jan 18, 2005

Yes, pornography is a big no no

and a good way to get fired from your job. I wouldn't even look at any pornograhpic site at home in private, because you just don't know what you are looking at. If the men or woman in the pictures are underage, you can be in serious trouble. As for email at work, the best thing to do is not have it at work or at least I should say, private emails should be kept at home in private.

rockcat · Jan 18, 2005

Originally Posted by AmberThe Bobcat

Yes, pornography is a big no no

and a good way to get fired from your job. I wouldn't even look at any pornograhpic site at home in private, because you just don't know what you are looking at. If the men or woman in the pictures are underage, you can be in serious trouble. As for email at work, the best thing to do is not have it at work or at least I should say, private emails should be kept at home in private.

Don't worry - I wouldn't go the porno route. The content emails were not anything I wouldn't show everyone anyway, it was just the intrusion that bothered me. I wouldn't do the same to her.

rockcat · Jan 19, 2005

Funny, the turn of events. Well, she's out sick again and I had to sit at her desk to do payroll. She left her purse too. NO - I didn't do it! I did NOT look in her purse. I did not open her email. I guess I have more respect for privacy than she does. I decided that I'm not going to bring it up, but if she says anything like - "You didn't mind me checking your email, did you" I WILL tell her how I feel.

mrsd · Jan 19, 2005

Sounds like a good plan of action.

juniper · Jan 19, 2005

Yes, I'd be furious! Of course she does technically have the right to do it, but unless she had some legitimate suspicion, then it was still an incredibly rude thing to do - having the right to do something does not mean it's a nice thing to do, and this definitely wasn't!

rockcat · Jan 19, 2005

Originally Posted by Juniper

Yes, I'd be furious! Of course she does technically have the right to do it, but unless she had some legitimate suspicion, then it was still an incredibly rude thing to do - having the right to do something does not mean it's a nice thing to do, and this definitely wasn't!

Thank you! No suspicions, especially since I forward all the funny stuff to her anyway.

kind of ticked off

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