Hancock exposé | Can you sack employees over using personal emails for work?

Matt Hancock – the now former Health Secretary – resigned from his position last month following the news that he broke social distancing rules and after an alleged affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo was exposed.

Other allegations unearthed, including by The Sunday Times, included claims that Hancock used a personal email account for Government work, which was said to include deals involving track and trace and PPE.

While the rules differ from workplace to workplace, these allegations shine a light on employee conduct and the use of personal emails in the workplace.

For employers and HR, there will also be follow-on questions about whether using personal emails for work is a sackable offence, and whether employers should have subsequent policies in place.