Can your boss read your e-mails? Confidentiality of correspondence does not apply in every case

Few people realize that an employer can control the actions of his employees if he considers it necessary to ensure proper organization . However, the line is thin. What can an employee do if the confidentiality of correspondence is violated in his case?

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Can an employer read an employee’s emails? Yes, but in one case

In the Labor Code we can find art. 223 of the Act of June 26, 1974, which says that the boss has the right to control, i.e. monitor the work of the employee, when it is necessary to ensure the proper organization of working time, and thus for the appropriate use of the resources made available to him. That is why, if the employer deems it necessary, he can read messages sent by employees without violating the confidentiality of correspondence, if they are sent by business e-mail.

The boss has the right to monitor messages sent by employees only when they are sent via company messengers. However, it is worth knowing that this also applies when employees use them not only to exchange messages strictly related to work. General rules for conducting such activities should also be included in the work regulations or in the employment contract.

What is the penalty for breaking the confidentiality of correspondence? The employee may even claim compensation

can read employees’ work e-mails, but what if he then finds private messages? The boss must react in advance. When he sees that an employee’s message may be private, he should not read it. And if he does it by accident, he has no right to discuss it with his employee. Under no circumstances can the employer read the correspondence sent by the employee via private e-mail or private messengers. When he does so, he will breach the confidentiality of the correspondence. What could be the risk of doing so? Then the employee may seek compensation for the violation of personal rights.