Page 1 of Work email account - private or not?

My girlfriend has just told me that as a work colleague of hers has been absent from work for a couple of days, their IT dept have given other colleagues full, remote access to her email account (without her knowledge) so they can deal with her emails whilst she is away - is this even legal?

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This item was edited on Thursday, 13th August 2009, 19:18

I suppose all companies are different. At the end of the day I reckon as it`s a work email address the company can do what they want with it.

We do it only if a senior manager requests that another manager has access.

It is work email, and the problem can be if emails go unanswered then that can cause business problems.

What normally happens at our place (or at least should) is person A is off sick, A`s team leader B tells me they need access to their email, B goes off in a huff when I say, get the dept head to log a call with the it service desk saying that B is allowed access to A`s email.

When we get that call, we grant read access to B, and A is informed on return. That way there is an audit trail etc.

Actually what usually happens is someone phones A and gives person all her passwords :/

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Quote:
Actually what usually happens is someone phones A and gives person all her passwords

That did happen, and at the same time, her `out of office` forwarding note was left for future messages too...
My girlfriend is in a bit of a quandary as to whether she tells the woman, and add to her stress, or wait until she returns to work.

Live a life you love, use a god you trust, and don`t take it all too seriously

I would say, work email addy is works `property` just as much as the contents of the stationary cupboard and the tools on the shop floor. Its not a `personal` email addy its a work email account provided to do company work with so yes they can go on while shes off and nosey about

We had a similar situation at work not so long ago, where one guys emails were read while he was off but he made a big song and dance about personal emails being read, they told him if its on the company email they reserve the right to read anything and everything, and personal emails should not be directed at the compant email addy anyhow

Weather thats right or not, or just our company I dont know

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People`s experience of this seems to be that of a manager, or a person of higher standing accessing someone else`s email, but in this instance, it`s just co workers that have been given full, and continued access, without the person`s knowledge.
Also, having used the company`s email system personally, this will allow those same colleagues to send emails too...

Live a life you love, use a god you trust, and don`t take it all too seriously

Company account, in such cases the business should have a procedure that all employees are aware of if such an event should occur. It does sound like they are not handling this well, it would be best to have the email forwarded on to a responsible staff member to decide if any mail requires action.




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Can happen hear where I work but normally when the person is on leave for a few weeks they give proxy access so someone can monitor their inbox

Definitely not private!

Much like any documents stored on company computers, and probably even phone calls made over company telephone lines.


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Things have certainly kicked off now, and not with the person whose email account had been accessed, as you would think... As this person was until only a very short time ago, the dept.manager, all the emails discussing her subordinates` pay reviews have been read, along with their personal details, and of course the one thing that`s guaranteed to start a ruckus in any work place, their salaries. (:¦ So now they are all banging on the MD`s door asking why these emails were available for `all` to see, and why he`s on more money than me, blah, blah, blah, whilst the person at the centre of this has been OK about it, mainly in the knowledge that the company really have scored an own goal here :D

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(:¦