Devjani Mishra Quoted in New York Post
“Re: Privacy”

Devjani Mishra was quoted in the April 12, 2010 New York Post article, "Re: Privacy." The article discussed the lack of any federal law governing employees' e-mail privacy and the resulting plethora of lawsuits from workers claiming their privacy has been violated. According to the article, where business e-mails are concerned, courts have generally upheld companies’ right to read. There is no significant dispute over an employers' right to view anything sent through company accounts during work hours, and the vast majority of companies do it as a matter of policy. However, the article noted that when a company either intentionally or otherwise allows "personal" use of its email and other systems, the situation is less cut and dry.

The article reported on the upcoming e-mail privacy case, the City of Ontario v. Quon, before the U.S. Supreme Court, which relates to the privacy of personal text messages when using company-issued cell phones. Devjani commented, “This is something that touches virtually every workplace.” She, along with others, see a trend in recent cases that have addressed e-mail privacy: to carve out a zone of privacy for workers in an environment where the lines between work and private life are increasingly blurred. Devjani added, "If there’s any issue employers and employees are struggling with, it’s where does the workday end? How much of my life does the company control?”