The impact of employer e-mail policies on employee rights to engage in concerted activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act

The impact of employer e-mail policies on employee rights to engage in concerted activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act

The

impact of employer e-mail policies on employee rights to engage in concerted activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act

O'Brien

Christine Neylon

O'Brien, Christine Neylon

Dept. of Business Law, Carroll School of Management

Author

Author

text

article

2005/2006 2006 monographic

2005/2006

2006

monographic

English eng

English

eng

electronic application/pdf digitized other analog

electronic

application/pdf

digitized other analog

This paper addresses the interrelationship of employee rights to engage in concerted activities under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and employer policies on e-mail use. Does an email policy of business-use-only avoid legal problems? Is such a policy practical in light of the pervasive use of e-mail for general communication? If employers permit selective personal use of the e-mail system, but prohibit discussion related to unions and issues related to wages, hours and working conditions, this is legally problematic. In addition, employer monitoring of e-mail is a form of surveillance that may be prohibited during a union organizational campaign. The existing case law interpreting like issues under the NLRA will be analyzed in light of new issues arising with e-mail in the workplace. Recommendations for appropriate resolution of the competing interests of employers, unions, and employees will be made.

Version of record.

Electronic reproduction. Chestnut Hill, Mass. : University Libraries, Boston College, 2009.

Labor-Management Relations 1554-2556 22 29 pp. 22-29 2005/2006

Labor-Management Relations

Labor-Management Relations

1554-2556

22 29 pp. 22-29 2005/2006

22 29 pp. 22-29

22

29

pp. 22-29

2005/2006

Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States" (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/)

Business Law Labor-Management-Relations-OBrien-p22.pdf cover-yellower-Labor-Management-Relations-OBrien-p22pdf-1.jpg

Business Law

Labor-Management-Relations-OBrien-p22.pdf

cover-yellower-Labor-Management-Relations-OBrien-p22pdf-1.jpg

MChB English eng

MChB

English eng

English

eng