business communications

After a long wait , the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB ) ruled that company owners may legally restrict usage of their e-mail systems for employees ' extra-curricular activities . These activities include union-related solicitations and organizations . The employers can restrict the usage of such communication device for as long as it does not discriminate against the protected activities under the National Labor Relations Act because the law recognizes that such service is the property of the employer

The National Labor Relations Act actually permits employees to discuss union-related matters in the workplace during their

free time and to distribute union-related materials on non-working time , in non-working locations . However , per statutory laws , employers have no obligation to assist them in performing such acts through the use of company-owned facilities such as email . Rather , employers have the right to regulate the use of their equipments such as fax machines , telephones photocopiers , printers and of course , e-mails

The NLRB announced a new standard for assessing allegations of prejudicial enforcement of employer policies under Section 8 (a (1 ) of The National Labor Relations Act . This new regulation has an all or nothing ' approach . For instance , a company 's policy to restrict the use of communications is not valid unless it applies to restrict all personal and non-work related communications . If it was proven that the employer permitted the use of email for non-work related end , but not those related to unions , the employer is still in violation of Section 8 (a (1 ) of The National Labor Relations...