MAR001

let's see if it's just me:

To make a long story short, a downstream department (actually, a control freak - chest-beater manager) in my company has instructed unilaterally to our suppliers to copy or forward all the emails related to "time or production matters". This includes not just the emails "in the loop" or collective by nature but to copy all the emails that myself or my department have sent and/or about to send at the point that even one-to-one emails have to be forwarded to that guy (same line management as me but different department).

Now I'm wondering until what point this instruction is touching the non-professional - non-ethical line and until what extend my emails are confidential, or the rights I have over my emails (in this case in particular).

two tips:
- My boss is aware but it may take ages (if) for him to take actions
- We are talking about a fairly known medium multinational (american) firm.

Any comments or advise would be appreciated.

Zen10

Now there's a surprise.

newjersey

yep. no rights, regrettably, the practice that is usually accepted in the US companies, is that since the equipment, internet and the infrastructure in general is paid for by the business, including your time using it, anything that you create belongs to the company, end of. Personal use is typically permitted under "reasonable use" exclusion.

Bikergirl

depends on what your contract says. mine basically states the emails are the property of the company - and as they are sent with the company name and facalilities then why wouldnt they be?
have you asked the manager directly why this has been requested?

MAR001

I understand that the emails are property of the company, but does that mean that a random manager can create a department of intelligence in his office?

or, can I come and instruct a vendor (third party) to forward me all the communications from other employee of the company? Is that right?

kimilseung

Is there any likelihood that these third party businesses will do as requested? Has any reimbursement been offered for the time and resources that this task will take?

knockoff nige

Leave

newjersey

+1

Bermudashorts

Really? I couldn't give a stuff if a manager wanted to waste his time reading all my emails on "time and productivity".

Perhaps there has been some inappropriate communications and he is responsible and wants to try and get to the bottom of it / put a stop to it.

I assume he would get bored of it very quickly indeed anyway. I wouldn't sweat it to be honest. I have nothing to hide in my work related emails, I always assume that anything I write could be forwarded on to another person.

Dorothy

Me too. I signed an "appropriate use of IT" agreement when I started my job. I just assumed from that that my email and use of the internet would be randomly monitored.

knockoff nige

And you shouldn't leave. But the OP should as it clearly bothers them.

Bermudashorts

Mmm I guess so. But if they only want to work somewhere where there is a guarantee that their emails will never be forwarded then they could have a problem.

lapin_windstar

this is management question, not a legal one. If your boss won't fix it...

Pollyana

Play them at their own game, create more email traffic than you need to, deluge them with irrelevant junk!

newjersey

I've met this type before, they are not reading 90% of that anyway (like, when would they?). This is a classic sign of a paranoid micromanager, and if the OP finds it bothersome, then well, it won't work out for them.