Are Employers Entitled to Monitor Employees’ Text Messages?

Although the US Supreme Court have already ruled that employers have a right to check employees’ emails and even text messages on their phones, it remains a bit unclear what the limitations of such rights are. Can employers just demand to see an employee’s email account or his cell phone? Are employers even allowed to use the best cell phone apps to monitor their employees?

What are the rights of an employer in terms of monitoring employees?

Generally speaking, employers are entitled to check and monitor employees and their activities particularly how they use their emails and company mobile phones. In such cases, however, it is very important that employers follow these conditions:

– the monitoring is for the purpose of checking employee performance and productivity

– employers are not entitled to check their employees’ personal cell phones or email accounts

– employees need to be informed that they are being monitored and that their employers can access their text messages and emails when necessary

– employers are only allowed to monitor cell phones that they legally own

Can employers read their employees’ text messages?

Basically, an employer can check an employee’s text messages as long as the content of the messages is not of a private nature. The problem is that text messages do not have a subject field where one can indicate that the message is ‘private’. Thus, it would seem impossible for an employer to know in advance whether a text message is work-related or private.

It is a known fact that many employees with company-issued cell phones tend to use their devices for personal purposes. Indeed, it is not easy to draw the line between what is private and what is non-private. In this case, it would probably depend on how the communication is between the employer and its customers.

For instance, if text messaging is the primary means of communication between employees and the employer’s customers, then it gives the employer a valid reason for checking or monitoring the mobile phone.

Is monitoring a private person’s cell phone legal?

If you’re wondering how can I spy on a cell phone of a friend or a boyfriend/girlfriend, well you should just forget about it. Cell phone spy software is intended for those who have valid reasons for monitoring another person. You can do this kind of monitoring if you are a parent, a spouse or an employer.

How do I spy on a cell phone?

Cell phone monitoring is very common these days, thanks to the availability of numerous phone spy apps like Easy Spy software. Easy Spy is one of the best cell phone apps in the market today as it comes with the latest monitoring features and tools, and a customer support team you can rely on anytime you need help.