The decision only applies to employees who have already been given access to the employer’s email system and only during nonworking time. Furthermore, a company can ban employees’ use of email for nonwork related business if they can show that that the ban is necessary to maintain production or discipline.
The decision overturns the 2007 Register Guard decision, which allowed employers to prohibit use of company email for non-work related purposes.
However, the decision did not clarify whether employees have the right to use employer email systems to communicate directly with unions.
Read the order here.