Labor and Employment Law
Ca. Labor & Emp't Rev. July 2018, Volume 32 No. 4
Content
- Cases Pending Before the California Supreme Court
- Public Sector Case Notes
- Employment Law Case Notes
- Labor & Employment Law Section Executive Committee 2017-2018
- MCLE Self-Study: Managing the Legal Risks Inherent in Byod to Work Policies
- Message From the Chair
- Nlra Case Notes
- Inside the Law Review
- From the Editors Editorial Policy
- Wage and Hour Case Notes
- Masthead
MCLE Self-Study: Managing the Legal Risks Inherent in BYOD to Work Policies
By Tyler M. Paetkau
Tyler M. Paetkau is a partner in the Silicon Valley office of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP. He represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. He can be reached at tyler.paetkau@procopio.com and (650) 645-9027.
I. INTRODUCTION
It was probably inevitable that most employers would adopt "bring your own device" (BYOD) to work policies in light of the proliferation of smartphones, iPads, laptops, tablets, and other portable electronic devices. It is expensive and often impractical for employers to purchase portable devices for employees’ work use. BYOD to work policies are far more efficient and practical. Employees are now accustomed to using their personal devices at the workplace, and while at work taking breaks to shop online, post Yelp reviews, check the hockey scores, and conduct other personal business. But employers should make no mistake: they are inviting a host of legal and practical problems by allowingâand in some cases encouraging and requiringâemployees to use their own personal devices for work. This article summarizes the emerging legal and practical problems with BYOD to work policies, then offers some practical suggestions for employers to manage and mitigate the legal risks inherent in such policies.