Survey reveals 52% of bosses fire workers for e-mail and Internet misuse

July 27, 9:33 AMWorkplace Communications ExaminerNancy Flynn

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Fully 26% of bosses have fired workers for e-mail violations this year, and another 26% have dismissed employees for violating Internet policy.  That's according to the newly released 2009 Electronic Business Communication Policies & Procedures Survey from American Management Association (AMA) and The ePolicy Institute.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, employees who lose their jobs as the result of online gaffes may face uphill battles as they attempt to explain away the inappropriate--and potentially illegal--behavior that led to their terminations.

The ePolicy Institute offers tips for employees who want to communicate online without getting fired, sued, or publicly humiliated:

1.  Big brother is reading over your electronic shoulder.  Employers, law enforcement agencies, courts, and the public are likely to access your electronic transmissions one day, if they haven't done so already.  Fully 66% of bosses monitor employees' Internet connections, and an additional 43% keep an eye on workers' e-mail, according to AMA/ePolicy Institute research.

2.  U.S. employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy when using company computer systems.  The federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) makes it clear that a company-provided computer system is the property of the employer.  Employees have absolutely no reasonable expectation of privacy when using the company system to transmit e-mail, Tweet, blog, surf the web, or engage in any form of electronic communication.

3.  The First Amendment does not protect bloggers or social networkers.  Do you believe that, under the First Amendment, you have the right to say whatever you want on your personal blog, Facebook page, or Twitter account? Many bloggers and social networkers mistakenly believe that the First Amendment protects their jobs.  It doesn't.  The First Amendment only restricts government control of speech.  It says nothing about private employers.  If you are a U.S. employee working in an employment-at-will state, watch it.  Your employer is free to fire you for just about any reason (including your personal online posts) as long as the termination isn't discriminatory or in retaliation for whistle-blowing or union organizing.

The best advice:  Watch you language, adhere to all of your company's employment policies, and do not write about or share images of your employer, coworkers, customers, or company without first securing permission from your boss.