A gripe about a fellow employee to another employee.
RESPONSE: It is never appropriate to gripe about a fellow employee to another employee in company email. Company email can be reviewed at will by company executives, security personnel, or network managers. It can be forwarded without your knowledge or permission - even broadcast to the entire network. Depending on the details and delivery, the email could go viral and be posted on social networks all over the world, divulging private company problems to millions and irreparably damaging your reputation and that of your company - as well as potentially making you liable for damages to the company and the employee you were griping about. Rather than gripe about a fellow employee over an email, it would be far more constructive to invite the employee to meet with you (or you and a trusted supervisor, if tensions between you are too high to meet alone) to discuss ways you both can work together to improve the area of complaint.
THE SITUATIONS
1. A notice of a meeting.
2. An off-color joke.
3. An employee reprimand.
4. A report identifying illegal or unethical activity in your organization.
5. An invitation to a colleague for a family dinner.
6. A note of praise or thanks.
7. Rosemary Garrido's letter to a potential customer (page 56)
8. A suggestive valentine to someone you are dating in another department.
9. A medical report written for expert readers.
10. An employee evaluation.