Israeli AG Says Employer May Not Read Employee eMail Without Consent

From SANS NewsBites Vol. 10 Num. 43

(May 29, 2008)
The Israeli Attorney General has ruled that employers may not read their employees' email without their free and informed consent. Attorney general Menachem Mazuz submitted the opinion to the National Labor Court which was hearing an appeal filed by an employee whose employer had been granted access to email from her personal computer.

Globes Online

Oddly enough I had recent experience with this when an employer placed forwards on the mails of two employees, without their knowledge or consent. The first was an employee who had resigned and was serving his notice period, and the second is an employee that's currently still working for the company.

The first employee found out because his wife wondered why mail she sent to him had bounced. He was confused because he had received the mail. Being one of the system administrators he investigated and discovered the snooping.

The second employee discovered the snooping through a different route.

Aside from the legal issues, one has to question the culture of a company where such incidents occur.