Recent Fourth Circuit Ruling Demonstrates Risks to Employers of Accessing Employees' Personal E-Mail Accounts

In a cautionary tale for all employers, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently held that an employer who accessed a former employee's personal e-mail account could be held liable for punitive damages and attorneys' fees under the federal Stored Communications Act, even without the employee proving any actual damages. Continue reading Littler ASAP, Recent Fourth Circuit Ruling Demonstrates Risks to Employers of Accessing Employees' Personal E-Mail Accounts, by Philip L. Gordon and Justin A. Morello.