2
ARTICLE
記事
Read the following article aloud.
課題： 以下の記事をはっきりとした声で音読しましょう。
Monitoring employee emails – a slippery slope if not done correctly
As an employer, you are rightfully concerned about the amount of time your employees spend on personal emails. The inappropriate employee use of the company email system can create a host of problems for an employer.
Not only does the inappropriate use of email reduce employee productivity, but they can expose an employer to potential liability. Emails can be used against an employer in a lawsuit in the same way as any correspondence. In recent court cases, employee emails have been presented as evidence in claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, and other illegal activities.
Therefore, an employer may be tempted to monitor employee emails to ensure maximum work productivity and decrease its own legal liability. As a general matter, employers have the right to monitor employee email. The electronic mail systems at work are the employer's property. An employer also has the right to expect that such systems will be used for business purposes. However, this right to monitor emails is somewhat limited by an employee's right to a reasonable expectation of privacy. An employer that monitors employee emails may be liable for violating its employees' privacy if it does not have a sound email policy that gives notice of proper email usage.