A smart phone is now as much a piece of your office life as a desk, laptop or employee handbook. Anyone can use their BlackBerry or iPhone to stay current on news and events, update social media status and check their email from any location with a signal.

For more and more people, that email checking usually includes a work email box. The potential dilemma: there are legal issues to consider when an employee uses technology to stay connected outside of work hours, even if the smart phone is not issued by the employer.

Recently, a police officer sued the City of Chicago on behalf of himself and others, seeking pay for time spent dealing with work-related phone calls, voice mails, emails, text messages and work orders via BlackBerry devices and similar "personal digital assistants." The officer contends that these activities entitle the group to an award of overtime compensation under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).