Don’t Mix Work and Personal: Why Texas Employees Should Avoid Using Work Accounts for Personal Business
As an employment attorney representing workers across Texas, I often meet clients who are surprised to learn just how much control their employers have over workplace technology. One of the most common issues I see is employees using company email addresses, messaging platforms, or even cloud storage for personal matters. At first glance, it may seem harmless to send a quick personal email from your work account or save a personal file to your office computer. But in reality, this practice can create serious problems if disputes arise with your employer.
Employers Own and Monitor Work Accounts
The most important thing to understand is that your employer owns the email accounts, computers, and networks provided for your job. That means anything you send, receive, or store through those systems is typically accessible to the company. In Texas, as in most states, employers generally have the right to monitor employee communications on company systems, so long as they provide notice or have policies in place.
If you use your work email to communicate with your lawyer, your spouse, or even your doctor, you may believe those messages are private. But in many cases, employers can—and do—review them. In litigation, employers may turn over entire email accounts during the discovery process, which means your personal correspondence may end up in the hands of opposing lawyers.
Risk to Attorney–Client Privilege
One of the biggest dangers of mixing personal and professional use is that it can jeopardize attorney–client privilege. Courts have held that if an employee uses a work account to communicate with their lawyer, and the employer has a clear policy stating that work accounts are not private, those communications may lose their protected status. That means emails you thought were confidential could potentially be used against you in a lawsuit.
For employees who may later face discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination claims, this is a serious risk. Protecting privilege is critical, and it starts with keeping all legal communications on personal, secure accounts that you control.
Complications in Employment Disputes
When employees come to me after being fired or mistreated at work, one of the first things we do is gather evidence—emails, texts, or documents that show what really happened. If those materials are saved to a work email or company drive, retrieving them can be legally tricky.
Texas law and federal law both prohibit employees from taking confidential or proprietary company information without authorization. If you forward yourself work emails, for example, your employer may accuse you of violating company policy, breaching confidentiality agreements, or even engaging in computer fraud. Even if your intent was simply to preserve evidence of discrimination or retaliation, these claims can complicate your case and give the employer leverage.
By keeping your personal business—and any potential evidence—on your own devices and accounts, you avoid these pitfalls.
Protecting Privacy and Setting Boundaries
Using personal accounts for personal matters also helps you set boundaries between work and life. In the age of smartphones and remote work, it’s already difficult to maintain separation. If you rely solely on work accounts, your employer may assume they have access to all your communications, making it harder to push back if they intrude on your time outside of work.
Moreover, if you ever leave the company, you may lose access to important personal correspondence or documents stored on your work systems. I’ve seen employees locked out of email accounts containing everything from personal tax documents to family photographs. Once you’re gone, your employer has no obligation to give those back.
Best Practices for Employees in Texas
To protect yourself, follow these simple rules:
- 1. Use personal email and messaging accounts—never work accounts—for communications with lawyers, family, doctors, or anyone unrelated to your job.
- 2. Keep personal files on personal devices. Don’t save them to work computers or drives.
- 3. Review your employer’s technology policies. Assume that if they say accounts are monitored, they mean it.
- 4. If you anticipate legal issues with your employer, talk to a lawyer from your personal account only.
Final Thoughts
While it might feel convenient to handle personal matters from your work account, the risks far outweigh the benefits. In Texas, where employment disputes can turn on small details, protecting your privacy and legal rights is essential. By keeping your personal business on personal accounts, you safeguard your attorney–client privilege, avoid unnecessary complications, and maintain clear boundaries between work and home.