SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Despite the well-publicized role incriminating e-mail messages played in the permanent barring of two securities analysts, U.S. workers continue to underestimate the power of the medium, a new survey finds.
Twenty-two percent of companies have fired an employee over improper e-mail use, up from 17 percent in 2001, according to a survey of 1,100 companies conducted by The ePolicy Institute, the American Management Association and Clearswift, maker of software to manage and secure electronic communications.
"Because e-mail is so quick and easy, and so anonymous, people will say things in an e-mail message that they would never say via the telephone, the fax or in person," said Nancy Flynn, author of "E-Mail Rules" and executive director of The ePolicy Institute.
But the fault can't be laid entirely at workers' feet, she said: "Because employees aren't being trained or educated, they're not aware of the risks."
Seventy-five percent of companies have a written e-mail policy, but that number declined from 81 percent in the earlier survey.
And those that have written policies don't always disseminate them: Only 48 percent of firms train workers about e-mail policies. Still, that's up from 24 percent in 2001.
A Washington-based state agency recently fired a group of employees for sending off-color messages, Flynn said. "When those employees were interviewed, a number of them said 'I didn't even know we had an e-mail policy,'" she said.
"The other comment was, 'I could name a dozen other people who've done the same thing.' It's really incumbent on employers not only to put policies in place but make employees sign and date an acknowledgment," she said.
Employees fired for e-mail infractions
This one should be framed. 
God forbid there be any (non-company initiated) humor!
