THE monitoring of worker's emails by prying bosses is to be banned and enforced by law.
A new code, which sets out how employers should comply with the Data Protection Act, encourages the compliance with article eight of the Human Rights Act the right to respect for personal correspondence.
Each day thousands of managers pry on their employees' email messages or secretly monitor phone calls, but they could face prosecution because workers are "entitled to a degree of privacy in the work environment", according to Information Commissioner Richard Thomas.
The new code of practice covers a raft of office-related activities including opening emails, checking voicemail and internet usage and the Big Brother-style monitoring using CCTC cameras.
Breaches of the new code are likely to result in employment tribunals.
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