How to Write and Enforce Clear Policies for Employee Electronic Communication

As an employer you may be liable for what your employees do electronically, whether it is on the web, through email or even on their smartphone. Further, use of such resources can greatly affect productivity. Electronic communication use policies are necessary to convey use rules to your employees … but they can also get you in trouble. Failure to properly define permitted and forbidden use as well as the scope of the employer’s right to monitor system usage can limit an employer’s ability to discipline for impropriety — and could make your company liable for employee misuse of your systems.

If your employees are using Twitter or Facebook to unwittingly post company intellectual property — or worse, to post harassing messages or racial slurs on websites and chat rooms while using company computers —you as an employer may be liable for their actions. But be careful not to administer too strong a cure — completely disabling these websites may send the wrong message to employees as well.

This 90-minute webinar will give you the crucial information you need to protect yourself legally, while maintaining respect for your employees’ system use — including working with your IT department to develop policies, procedures and protocols to prevent potential electronic communication abuses and misuses.

Learning Points:

• What is the scope of electronic systems and devices that should be covered by a policy or policies? What types of policies are recommended?
• What are some specific issues you might want to address in your written policies regarding what is acceptable when utilizing company resources and time to communicate electronically in the workplace?
• What types of social networking websites are employees using today? What other Internet use is prevalent? To what extent should these issues be covered by policy?
• What legal and practical issues are caused by electronic communication abuses and misuses by your employees?
• Can you legally monitor ALL of your employees’ electronic communications? Is this practical?
• Are there any considerations specific to the public sector?
• What is the impact of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in City of Ontario v. Quon?
• What effect does telecommuting have on your electronic communication policies and practices?
• What can your organization do to minimize abuses?
• How can your IT department assist you in addressing your electronic communication obstacles and problems? Can your IT department help you prevent such problems before they even arise?

Attendees Who Will Benefit From This Webinar Include:

• Human Resources Professionals
• In-House Labor and Employment Counsel
• Business Managers and Supervisors
• Employee Benefits Professionals
• Employment Law Attorneys
• Management Consultants

Richard I. Greenberg
Richard I. Greenberg is a partner in the New York office of Jackson Lewis LLP, who advises both unionized and union-free clients on a full range of labor and employee relations matters. With respect to employee relations matters, he has extensive experiences assisting clients in numerous industries with the development and maintenance of personnel policies and personnel infrastructures. As for traditional labor matters, he represents clients in collective bargaining negotiations, labor disputes, grievances and arbitrations, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, and in state and federal court. In addition, Mr. Greenberg advises clients on the legal aspects of remaining union-free and advises clients on compliance with the myriad of federal and state employment laws, including the FMLA, FLSA, ADA, ADEA and WARN, as well as legal developments.