Catherwood LibraryILR School

California SWAT team sargeant Jeff Quon's case against his employer has reached the Supreme Court, and will decide issues of workplace privacy in the digital age. Quon's frequently-used work-issued cell phone was searched by the police department, when they were trying to decide if a higher allowance was needed for work-related calls and text messages. However, many of Quon's texts were personal, and some were sexually explicit. Personal use of phones is allowed, however, Quon was under the impression that calls and texts were private, and has sued the police department for unlawful search and seizure. The Supreme Court will use the case to decide workplace privacy laws for the technology age - if public use of workplace technology is lawful, and to what extent, and in what cases employers can regulate and observe use. The case will be heard in the new year.