E-mail, the electronic equivalent of DNA evidence, is playing an increasingly common role in workplace lawsuits and regulatory investigations. A primary source of evidence in high-profile discrimination, sexual harassment and antitrust claims, e-mail is used to bolster cases, embarrass organizations and damage reputations.

A recent survey reveals that 14 percent of respondents have been ordered by a court or regulatory body to produce employee e-mail, up from nine percent just two years ago, according to the American Management Association.

While 90 percent of employers have installed software to monitory incoming and outgoing e-mail, only 19 percent monitor internal e-mail among employees.Failure to check internal e-mail is a potentially costly oversight. Off-the-cuff, casual e-mail conversations among employees are exactly the type of messages that can trigger lawsuits, arm prosecutors with damaging evidence and provide the media with embarrassing real-life disaster stories.

By developing and implementing a strategic e-mail management program, employers can anticipate e-mail disasters, address employee misuse, derail intentional abuse, curtail e-mail blunders and limit costly electronic liabilities.