DESPITE a blaze of headlines, a recent court case involving firms monitoring employees work internet and email accounts will have little effect in the UK, according to a Worcester employment lawyer.

Richard Green, employment law partner at QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright said the action had received a great deal of media coverage, some of it giving the impression that employers have the absolute right to monitor employees work related internet and email accounts. This is not the case.

He added: "Firstly, the case, which was in Romania, was unusual on its facts. Personal use was strictly forbidden in this case, whereas most employers in the UK allow some limited personal use. The situation is therefore less likely to occur here.

"In addition there is unfair dismissal case law emphasising the need for employers to have in place clear policies and avoid disproportionate responses. Existing ECtHR case law requires that employees be told their communications may be monitored. UK legislation, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 already place limitation on employer’s powers to monitor employee’s private communication.

"Finally, changes in how employees use technology blur the position still more. Use of smart phones means that employees are less likely to rely on their employers IT systems and the increasing use of ‘Bring Your Own Device’ policies raises privacy implications as to the scope of employees ‘reasonable expectations of privacy’ when using their own devices for work and personal matters. Despite the publicity given to this case therefore it is very limited in scope and does little if anything to change the position in the UK."