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Dushan · Jan 12, 2011, 02:48 AM

Hi... I'm in a legal wrangle with my previous company about forwarding my company mail to my Yahoo account whilst on leave. They fired me because they say I placed the company at risk by doing so. They say that some-one could've hacked my Yahoo account and stolen company info. How can I fight this nonsense?

Curlyben · Jan 12, 2011, 03:01 AM

It really depends how this is detailed in your (ex) company's IT and security policy.
If it is then you don't have a leg to stand on.

Company e-mail could contain sensitive information and as such is closely guarded and managed.

ScottGem · Jan 12, 2011, 03:44 AM

Many company's have IT security policies that state what you can and cannot do in using company technology resources. So I suspect your company felt you violated that policy. Does the company offer a way to securely get your mail or log into the corporate network? Did you ask for permission to setup the forward?

I doubt if you can fight it, it all depends on published company policies.

Dushan · Jan 12, 2011, 05:01 AM

There is no policy prohibiting the forwarding of mails. They were looking for way to get rid of me and decided to use this. I just need to prove to them that a Yahoo address cannot be "hacked" physically but a worm or virus can make it look like it was hacked. Please remember that the person who will be deciding is a labour lawyer with little or no understanding of IT or advanced usage of the web, email etc.

Curlyben · Jan 12, 2011, 05:27 AM

Sorry, but it's VERY easy to get into Webmail accounts, as Sarah Palin found out!

ScottGem · Jan 12, 2011, 05:47 AM

The policy does not have to say you can't forward e-mails. It just has to specify that company e-mails are corporate property. That would be enough. And no, you aren't going to prove to a court that Yahoo is secure.

Fr_Chuck · Jan 12, 2011, 06:04 AM

This is not a silly rule at all, in fact it is a common sense rule. I wouild be fired on the spot for even using public emails on my company computer. And depending on the industry, if it is legal or medical, it could even be more serious.

Also sorry it is common knowledge that public servers emails can be hacked much easier and the worms can be used to send out all the data on your computer.

So I see no defense, your best fight now is to try and get your unemployment, they can even try and deny that.

joypulv · Jan 12, 2011, 07:21 AM

I know 2 people whose Yahoo email accounts were 'stolen.' One of the thieves asked me for money saying he was stranded in an airport. Writing to the address, not using reply, still went to the thief. There was no way to recover the accounts either.

Fr_Chuck · Jan 12, 2011, 07:31 AM

Of course I guess if I put myself in this persons place, and did something stupid without thinking. And that is what it is, too many people can't understand that twitter, and Facebook and emails from public domains can be used by so many people. It becomes second nature, For example if you work in a hosptial and take a photo of friends, but it showed patients in the background, and you put it on face book you can be fired for that. We have become too lax with the things we take for granted.

So yes if I had done something like this, and jobs are hard to get, I would try and fight and come up with any and everything I could. To save my job.

Personally, admitting fault, and going in and begging for my job back would seem a better choice of action