Electronic communication, like the Internet itself, has become a central productivity tool in almost all workplaces.
The technological advances of today’s workplace have given employees access to many types of communication devices, including computers, computer networks, emails, pagers, the Internet and smartphones and phone systems with text and voicemail messaging capabilities.
Most employees now have a relatively unregulated digital domain on their computers in which they can access content that may be inappropriate for the work environment and may easily distract them from their jobs. The ease and seeming sterility of electronic mail can lead to harassment claims. Communications by email have replaced memos, letters, telephone conversations and even in-person conversations. Internet access presents the risk of copyright and trademark infringement litigation. With these issues in mind, this chapter will address some of the most serious and pressing aspects of being an employer in the Internet age.
Federal agencies have recently targeted the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) cautions that the use of AI may result in illegal discrimination, while the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB’s) General Counsel warns of possible violations of the National Labor Relations...
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