Electronic Communications by Pharmacy Employees: Legal Issues and Practical Concerns

Employers have justifiable legal concerns about on-the-job computer usage by employees. Monitoring of employee computer usage by employers is a method to address these concerns. Federal laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and state laws provide some guidelines on the appropriate monitoring of employee computer usage. Consent to inspect computer usage by an employee may provide additional protection for employers against employee complaints of invasion of privacy. Off-duty employee electronic activity may be addressed by employer-created policies regarding social networking and/or through training programs. No cases have been reported that impose liability on employers for searching employees' computers or email.