Can You Get Fired for Sending Email?

If you think the content of your email messages are private, there's a good chance you are wrong. A survey done by Proofpoint, Inc., a messaging security company, found that 38% of companies with 1,000 or more employees and 44% of companies with more than 20,000 workers have employees specifically dedicated to the task of monitoring outgoing email. These employers aren't concerned with their workers' productivity, at least not primarily. What they are concerned about is the leaking of confidential information. Can you be fired for revealing something you shouldn't? Apparently you can be. The survey also found that 1 in 3 companies has terminated an employee for violating their email policy. Over half has disciplined an employee for doing that. In addition to email, companies are also concerned with employees revealing confidential information on blogs and message boards, according to the survey.

Let's say you are just sending email to your friend about what you did last weekend or shopping for a new pair of shoes? Should you use the Internet at all while you're at work? I don't know about you, but my days go by in a flash. If I spent time sending personal email and tending to other personal online business, I wouldn't have time to get my work done. There simply aren't enough hours in a day.